Olson Urges Balance In Floodplain Management
November 2nd, 2009 | by FortBendNow Staff | Published in News | 8 Comments
Rep. Pete Olson Friday sent a letter to the Council on Environmental Quality urging “transparency and balance” while considering revisions to Executive Order 11988 relating to floodplain management.
“My congressional district will be dramatically affected by any changes in floodplain management,” Olson said. “The people in these areas deserve to know that the process will take their concerns into consideration and weigh any impacts when making revisions.
“Any revisions to the 1977 Executive Order addressing floodplain management must strike a delicate balance between current uses, community needs and environmental concerns. To achieve this balance it is important to maintain an open and thorough process that allows any impacted communities to have their voice heard on potential concerns they may have moving forward. Floodplain management is critical to affected areas and the proper balance is achievable,” Olson said. .
Text of the letter:
The Honorable Nancy Sutley
Council on Environmental Quality, Chairwoman
730 Jackson Place, NW
Washington, DC 20503
Dear Chairwoman Sutley:
It is my understanding that the White House, the Council on Environmental Quality, and other Federal agencies are in the process of reviewing a proposed revision to Executive Order 11988 relating to floodplain management.
Any revised Executive Order should recognize the importance of economic, agricultural, and other uses of land within the floodplain and provide a balance between these uses and environmental concerns. I write today to ask that local communities and other parties that may be affected by a change in the Executive Order would be afforded the opportunity to review and comment on the proposal prior to issuance by the White House.
On January 21, 2009, President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum that stated, “My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration.” I hope that the Council on Environmental Quality will use the President’s message to guide them while developing policy that could have far reaching applications.
I look forward to your response and appreciate your timely consideration of this matter.
Very respectfully,
Pete Olson
Member of Congress
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:59 am (#)
Whoa, can I get this in English? I am only guessing but it seems like their could be a lot of changes to the flood plain maps and it could effect my insurance rates and levy taxes, Am I right? And I am guessing that the rates I pay won’t be going down.
Olson just wants the govt to tell us in advance they are raising your levy requirements and floods ins premiums before they actually do it.
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:57 pm (#)
That’s probably a good guess. It may also have an impact on land use too, but all levels over government could stand quite a bit more transparency anyway. If we’re paying for it then we should have clear and open access.
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:52 pm (#)
Sooo, was all those millions for our four-foot-levee-raising just a premature conjecture with our tax/MUD/HOA dollars? Yeah, I thought so at the time, but it kept the vendors so happy. “Business Friendly” Ya’ll.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:13 am (#)
Yet another conspiracy. Yep.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:58 am (#)
They will come to us now saying that they need to add even more.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:29 pm (#)
patriot, out all the things local govt spends money on, I am really glad they raised the levees, cronyism or not, I would rather see infrastructure bolstered, its money well spent, in my opinion.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:38 pm (#)
Let’s hope that they aren’t setting up to come back and ask to raise them again. We will be paying for the last round for some time to come.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:40 pm (#)
OK #1, I would agree, and the subsidence issue is real, but this project was sold on the idea that we could collectively build our way out of grossly expensive and forced flood insurance. It now looks like we will be double billed for a problem that our area has never had.