Landrieu, FEMA Associate Administrator David Miller Tour Communities Affected by NFIP Rate Increases

Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc.

WASHINGTON - Thursday, U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Associate Administrator David Miller, who oversees the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), toured Louisiana's flood protection infrastructure and attended a Flood Insurance Forum with local officials at GNO Inc.Mr. Miller agreed to visit affected Louisiana communities last month at the request of Sen. Landrieu.

Thursday morning, Landrieu and Miller joined several parish presidents on a helicopter tour of local flood protection infrastructure, including the Lake Pontchartrain drainage canal floodgates and levees in St. Tammany, Plaquemines, Jefferson Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes. The delegation then traveled by bus for a closer view of the levee system in Lafourche Parish before returning to the helicopter for a final tour of levees in St. James, St. John the Baptist and St. Charles parishes.

In the afternoon, Landrieu and Miller joined officials from 23 parishes and representatives from the banking, real estate and home building associations for a forum on flood insurance. Parish officials had an opportunity to speak directly with Mr. Miller about the National Flood Insurance Program, the mapping process and reform legislation.

"I hope Mr. Miller's visit has given him a much needed, first-hand view of the local flood protection infrastructure our communities have built. FEMA's current flood rate maps don't take into account our local efforts and this visit is integral in helping us get the credit we deserve," Sen. Landrieu said. "Bringing together our parish presidents to speak face-to-face with Mr. Miller was a positive step forward to make flood insurance affordable, accessible and self-sustainable for Louisiana. I hope FEMA will use what they've learned here today to establish a plan to help residents afford the insurance protection they need."

"It's past time for FEMA to acknowledge our investments in local flood protection. We've done the work, we've put the money in, and we should get credit for it on flood maps. Sen. Landrieu is committed to working to get us the credit we deserve and I thank her for her leadership and partnership. Today's tour would not have been possible without her," Reggie Dupre, Executive Director of the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District said.

"This tour was an incredible opportunity to show FEMA the reality on the ground in Lafourche - that our local levees do provide protection for our communities. I am hopeful that FEMA gained a better understanding of what it means to live along the coast so they can recognize the significant investments we've made in flood protection. I thank Sen. Landrieu for making this tour possible and I will continue to work with her to ensure that our communities get the credit we deserve for the levees we build," Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph said.