Cassidy Urges President to Stop Flood Risk Standard Executive Order

Press Release

Today, Congressman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) urged President Obama to not implement an executive order to change the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS). Due to its far-reaching economic consequences, the public and Congress should have input on these decisions. Federal investment decisions throughout the country could be discouraged, and flood risk policy reforms included in the Grimm-Cassidy Substitute Amendment to the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act could be at risk.

FFRMS would change the Floodplain Management Guidelines to account for uncertainties associated with climate change. This will be used as the basis for identifying future flood risk when making federal investment decisions, potentially hindering federal investment and heighten compliance costs for many property owners. The plan is being developed by the Mitigation Framework Leadership Group (MitFLG) under FEMA, yet has proceeded without significant input from Congress or the American people (http://1.usa.gov/1uxFHZI).

FFRMS could also impact FEMA's decisions related to flood insurance mapping, increasing flood insurance premiums for thousands of property owners by over-compensating the severity of their flood risk. Currently, the Grimm-Cassidy Substitute Amendment to the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 requires FEMA to administer the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and determine flood insurance premiums based on engineering and statistical methodology.

Dr. Cassidy released the following statement:

"The President is not the only person who knows about flood risk and climate change. The President is doing a disservice to the American people by failing to include others' opinions that may differ from his. Scientists, Congress and the American people should be brought into this conversation.

"The President's decision to use an executive order will impact working families in Louisiana. This could keep job-creating projects and facilities such as military bases and VA hospitals from coming to and staying in Louisiana.

"Flood risk isn't an issue the President needs to act alone on. The Grimm-Cassidy Substitute Amendment to the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 passed Congress with strong Republican and Democrat support. There are many factors that should be considered when addressing flood risk and the President should be open to listening to them."

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