Setting the record straight on flood maps

To the Editor:

I would like to clarify how the village of Valley Stream arrived at the current situation regarding storm insurance and the controversial Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps.

The current flood maps were approved by the previous administration and accepted by the village in 2008. The mayor at that time understood that accepting the flood maps was the only way for residents to be grandfathered in at the lower insurance premiums, as per FEMA. In fact, by failing to accept the flood maps, residents would not have been able to purchase flood insurance at all; in the event of a catastrophic flood, they would been unprotected. As soon as the village discovered that it had been misled about the “grandfathering” clause, which in fact did not protect residents from increased premiums, the village vigorously pursued this matter with our federal representatives as well as FEMA officials.

At present, my administration has repeatedly reached out to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and Congresswoman McCarthy for relief, as this is absolutely a matter of federal jurisdiction. I continue to feel frustrated by the apparent lack of progress to date. Again, remember that this is a federal issue that the village is trying to resolve.

The village website, www.vsvny.org, has gathered more than 100 names in response to our online petition seeking relief from Schumer, Gillibrand and McCarthy. We will be forwarding this petition to them, and anxiously await their assistance.

Edwin Fare
Mayor
Valley Stream