Federal Emergency Management Agency News

N.J. Gov. Christie Announces More Flood Buyouts

The floodwaters from Superstorm Sandy gushed in through Bob and Pat Smith’s porch windows and didn’t stop rising till reaching the 6-foot mark. The Smiths marked the insurgence with a piece of black electrical tape to the left of the …

N.J. Post-Sandy Buyout Offers Start in South River, Sayreville

New Jersey is making the first post-Hurricane Sandy buyout offers to South River and Sayreville homeowners this week, Governor Chris Christie said.The state plans to spend $39 million of federal funds on the first 129 homes, Christie said in South …

Coastal Lawmakers Seek Delays in Flood Insurance Changes, Rate Hikes

Just a year after Congress imposed significant changes in the government’s oft-criticized flood insurance program, howls of protest from homeowners facing higher premiums have coastal lawmakers pressing for delays that would preserve below-cost rates for hundreds of thousands of people …

Delaware Towns Worry About Hike in Flood Insurance Cost

Kent County residents and leaders in Delaware are getting their first look at new flood maps and worrying about the impact on flood insurance rates. The News Journal reports that federal officials unveiled new flood maps for Kent County on …

Gov. Cuomo Requests Disaster Declaration for NYS After Mohawk River Flooding

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday formally requested that President Obama issue a major disaster declaration for the State of New York as a result of severe storms and major flooding that occurred on June 27 and 28. Previously, …

N.Y. Senator Gillibrand to FEMA: Review Flood Insurance Rules

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to review rules that resulted in insurance coverage denials for some Superstorm Sandy victims. Gillibrand’s letter last week came after reports that the National Flood Insurance Program is …

President Declares Disaster For Spring Flooding in Alaska

President Barack Obama has declared a federal disaster for spring flooding in parts of Alaska. Gov. Sean Parnell earlier this month requested the federal designation for the Alaska Gateway, Yukon Flats, Yukon Koyukuk, Lower Yukon and Copper River regional educational …

Sandy Flood Claims Exceed $31M in R.I.; Average Payment Was $35,603

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid more than 800 claims totaling more than $31 million to property owners in Rhode Island after Superstorm Sandy. The Providence Journal reports that the federal program also rejected about 200 claims. The total …

New FEMA Flood Maps Bring Some Relief to New Jersey Coast

More than seven months after Superstorm Sandy devastated parts of the Jersey shore, thousands of homeowners are getting some relief from crushing rebuilding and insurance costs. The federal government has updated its flood maps laying out the likelihood of damage …

FEMA: Federal Support for Rhode Island Sandy Recovery Exceeds $39M

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Tuesday that more than $39.4 million in support from four federal disaster relief programs is helping Rhode Island recover from Superstorm Sandy’s effects.FEMA said the majority of the support is from the National Flood …