Public invited to comment on Dallas County preliminary flood maps
Written by Phil Cerroni
After months of collaboration and the continuous sharing of information resulting in preliminary flood maps, officials with Dallas County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are now asking the public to participate in a 90-day comment period.
Homeowners, renters and business owners in the cities of Dallas and Grand Prairie are encouraged to view the preliminary flood maps to better understand where flood risks have been identified. Those with comments or who would like to file an appeal have from Feb. 8 until May 8 to do so.
An appeal is a formal objection to proposed base flood elevations or flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) boundaries and zones, or floodways. Appeals must be based on technical data that show proposed maps to be scientifically incorrect. Anyone who makes an appeal must include the method, data and analysis used to support the claim. A comment is an objection to a base map feature change such as labels, incorrect roads, jurisdictional boundaries, or any other non-appealable change.
Comments and appeals should be sent to FEMA through the local floodplain administrator. Anyone who hasn't had a chance to participate in local flood insurance meetings or to review the new flood maps is encouraged to contact their county or community floodplain administrator. Other resources include:
Viewing the preliminary maps online at http://maps.riskmap6.com/TX/Dallas .
Using a live chat service about flood maps at http://go.usa.gov/r6C . Click on the "Live Chat" icon.
Contacting a FEMA Map Specialist at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627); email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Once all comments and appeals are resolved, FEMA will notify communities of the effective date of the final maps. When a flood risk is identified, the next step is to consider the purchase of a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP is currently undergoing a thorough modernization. Meanwhile, contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to gather information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their area.
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency
