Sen. Hoeven Hosts FEMA Administrator in Minot to Ensure Accurate Flood Maps, Develop Additional Funding Opportunities for Flood Protection

MINOT, N.D., Aug. 18 -- The office of Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., issued the following news release:

Senator John Hoeven today held a roundtable in Minot with Administrator Brock Long of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Col. Sam Calkins, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District and state and Minot city officials. Hoeven invited Administrator Long for the meeting to review FEMA's recently released preliminary flood maps for Minot and to ensure that these maps are updated to reflect permanent flood protection as it is built, like the project that protects Minot's water treatment plant, the completion of which the senator recently helped mark.

During the meeting, Hoeven urged Administrator Long to reevaluate the maps to account for discrepancies the city recently identified that inaccurately impose flood insurance costs on many individuals in Minot. City officials brought up the issue to Hoeven in a meeting last week, and the senator is asking Long to extend the timeframe for public review of the maps so that FEMA could work with local officials on the discrepancies identified.

In addition, Hoeven requested that Administrator Long provide a point person at FEMA that his office can work with to identify additional funding to construct flood protection for the remainder of the Souris River Basin. The Army Corps of Engineers current project entails four phases, and Hoeven stressed that federal support is needed to develop subsequent phases and ensure protection for the whole region.

"While we are dealing with drought this year in many parts of our state, flooding continues to be a long-term issue that faces us in Minot, Fargo and other communities," Hoeven said. "We are working to address flooding by building comprehensive flood protection for the entire Souris River Basin, which, coupled with affordable flood insurance, will help ensure the well-being of our communities. I am glad Administrator Long accepted my invitation to come to Minot to discuss these issues. Today and in our meeting with him earlier this summer, Administrator Long committed to help us advance accurate flood maps that will reflect permanent flood protection infrastructure as it is completed. This will help keep flood insurance costs down for families and businesses throughout the region."

In June, Hoeven pressed Administrator Long to help keep flood insurance rates affordable for North Dakota's residents by ensuring that FEMA's flood maps are updated to reflect flood protection as it is built. This is especially important in places like Minot and the Red River Valley, where protections will be built over several years. The senator previously hosted Roy Wright, Deputy Associate Administrator for Insurance and Mitigation at FEMA, in Minot and Fargo to review the agency's flood mapping efforts and ensure affordable flood insurance for the regions.

Hoeven continues working to secure comprehensive flood protection for communities across the state. In May, Hoeven announced that the Corps' FY2017 work plan includes $20 million for comprehensive flood protection in the Fargo-Moorhead region and $900,000 to support its feasibility study in the Souris River Basin. Hoeven also met with Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), during his confirmation process to stress the importance of flood protection for communities in North Dakota. OMB is responsible for approving Army Corps work plans, and Hoeven has stayed in regular contact with Mulvaney since his confirmation.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Energy and Water, Hoeven is working to secure additional funding for these regional flood protection efforts.