Target: U.S. Senate
Goal: Reform the National Flood Insurance Program to include habitat restoration to help prevent flood damage.
The National Flood Insurance Program is critical in order to provide insurance for property in areas prone to flooding; however, the current program is financially and environmentally unsustainable and should be reformed. The Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2011 will make changes to the National Flood Insurance Program to make it financially sound and help reduce future damage from flooding.
The National Flood Insurance Program is in debt as it does not charge insurance premiums that accurately reflect the risk of flooding to all beneficiaries. Subsidized flood insurance premiums encourage development and rebuilding in areas prone to flooding. Development in these areas destroys habitat that naturally protects against flooding. ?The Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2011 will gradually increase premiums to a level that will reflect the true risk of flooding. Additionally, the bill will require accurate mapping of flood zones including the impact of rising sea levels due to climate change. These maps will be used to educate property owners regarding the risk of flooding and thus help reduce development and rebuilding in flood-prone areas.
Restoring natural habitat is a low-cost solution to reduce damage to properties in flood zones. Barrier beaches, oyster beds, sand dunes, and coastal wetlands all provide protection from storm surges which can destroy properties and threaten lives. Natural habitat has been destroyed through development which has resulted in increased damage from storms. Levees and sea walls have been built to help reduce storm damage, but are expensive to build and maintain. Restoring natural habitat is more effective and less expensive than manmade structures. There are additional benefits to restoring natural habitat such as clean water, reduced erosion, and increased fish and shellfish populations.
Extreme weather events and flooding are on the rise. Last year, there were 58 Federal flood disaster declarations and more areas are expected to be affected by floods in the coming years. Climate change is causing more severe storms and rising sea levels, both of which increase flooding risk. Therefore, it is critically important to reform the National Flood Insurance Program.
By signing the petition below, you will help urge the U.S. Senate to reform the National Flood Insurance Program to include natural habitat restoration to help reduce damage from future floods.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear U.S. Senate,
The National Flood Insurance Program is vital in order to provide insurance coverage to property owners in flood zones; however, the program is not financially or environmentally sound in its current form. The Flood Insurance and Modernization Act of 2011 would reform the National Flood Insurance Program and help prevent future flood damage.
The National Flood Insurance Program is in debt as it charges lower insurance premiums than are indicated based on risk. Subsidized insurance premiums encourage development and rebuilding in flood zones. The Flood Insurance and Modernization Act of 2011 would gradually raise insurance premiums until they are commensurate with flood risk. This will discourage development in flood zones and encourage property owners affected by floods to rebuild elsewhere thus helping to prevent future flood damage.
Restoration of natural habitats is a low-cost strategy to reduce damage from floods. Sand dunes, coastal wetlands, barrier beaches, and oyster beds help to protect inland areas from flooding due to storms. Many of these areas have been destroyed due to development thus increasing flood risk. Sea walls and levees have been built to reduce flooding from storms, but they are expensive to construct and maintain. Natural habitat restoration is a cost effective alternative to reduce flooding and provides additional benefits such as clean water, reduced erosion, and increased shellfish populations.
The Flood Insurance and Modernization Act of 2011 will reform the National Flood Insurance Program to restore natural habitats to reduce flooding and increase insurance premiums to make the program financially stable. The National Flood Insurance Program is set to expire at the end of May so it is important to act now to reform the program.
I urge you to vote in favor of the Flood Insurance Modernization Act of 2011 to restore the environment to reduce future flooding.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
west virginia rob roy gaslight justin timberlake michael dyer bachmann bachmann
No comments:
Post a Comment