05.27.11

Hoeven, Conrad, Berg, Dalrymple Press FEMA To Reevaluate Flood Insurance Grace Period

BISMARCK – Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad, Congressman Rick Berg and Governor Jack Dalrymple today pressed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reverse an initial interpretation of Flood Insurance Program regulation pertaining to the date residents would have had to purchase flood insurance for it to be effective for the current flood event. 

FEMA has suggested that the 30 day waiting period for flood insurance was closed after the Army Corps of engineers had begun “higher than normal releases” last week. In a conference call this afternoon with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, the delegation and governor pressed FEMA on its interpretation of flood insurance timing. 

This afternoon, the agency notified the delegation and governor that they plan to send a National Flood Insurance Program adjustor to Bismarck within 24 hours to make a determination about whether or not the river is in flood stage. 

“We are pushing for a rational response from FEMA based on precedent and the logic of current circumstances,” the delegation said following notification.