Ahora Issues Public Comment on FEMA Notice

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Kevin Shockey, chairperson and owner of Ahora Inc., Overland Park, Kansas, has issued a public comment on the Federal Emergency Management Agency notice entitled "Request for Information on the National Flood Insurance Program's Floodplain Management Standards for Land Management and Use, and an Assessment of the Program's Impact on Threatened and Endangered Species and Their Habitats". The comment was written on Nov. 15, 2021, and posted on Nov. 16, 2021:

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Greetings, I'm Kevin Shockey and I'm the chairperson and owner of Ahora Inc. We are a non-profit company supporting social justice in Puerto Rico through the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. I'm also a survivor of multiple hurricanes including Georges, Irma, and Maria. I've lived in Puerto RIco for 25 years and I've seen the effects of catastrophic flooding not only during hurricanes, but recently, it is just as likely to come from intense tropical showers and king tides. I've also seen the same sectors flooded time and time again, the same cities, the same neighborhoods, and even the same houses.

What I have not seen much of is any sense of a plan to move or raise those houses that flood on a regular basis. On the contrary, I've seen continued development of flood prone lands, continued development of our beaches, and encroachments upon wetlands and mangroves.

I'm responding to the request for information to stand up for all of the communities throughout Puerto Rico who continue to struggle with frequent flooding. I'm responding to say that the only time I've heard anything about FEMA in Puerto Rico is when disaster strikes. By that time, it's too late to take proactive action. Typically the first families to enter shelters during hurricane warnings are the families I'm standing up for my neighbors and demanding better service for Puerto Rico.

Finally, I'm responding because I'm the father of three beautiful women and I want their lives in Puerto Rico to be one free from flooding, safe from non-stop development, and secure that wherever they choose to settle, that their new community is also free from flooding.

In response to questions posed in the FEMA RFI, we ask that you:

Question 3 - "critical infrastructure"

Prohibit all construction within the 100-year floodplain. In addition, we ask that you require that all critical infrastructure (schools, hospitals, etc.) in the 500-year floodplain be elevated. Furthermore, we ask that you ban all industry -- including steel manufacturer, factory farming, mining, oil refineries, and chemical plants - in the 500-year floodplain.

Question 6 - "endangered species"

With continued and ongoing development, we ask that you protect endangered species by prohibiting all construction in flood prone areas, thus giving greater protection to wetlands.

Question 7 - "increase resilience to flooding"

Prohibit all construction within the 100-year floodplain and prohibit the use of fill in the 500-year floodplain.

Question 9 - "enforcement"

Improve monitoring, tracking, and public disclosure of community compliance with NFIP requirements. Additionally, please find ways to help communities comply.

Question 12 - "accounting for climate change"

Ensure that FEMA flood maps, modeling and calculations take account of climate change.

Take account of future development and land use change when creating and updating maps.

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The notice can be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/document/FEMA-2021-0024-0001

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