>is ean aie JOHN MOOLENAAR ‘scent Lins os cose 98 VICE-CHAIRMAN OF APPROPRIATIONS feame ean NMUNTY PHONE: (17) 7H MICHIGAN SENATE Cara UTA TOULREE: (a) 082195 A (S17 573.2678 ‘stannic conmrres: senmoctnar oerto mon oe January 24, 2011 : Tn out Sen han “rar Senator tensioner com OUTDOOR RECREATION AND Mr. Daa Wyant neDispncTIVG Director, Naural Resources and Environment Constitition Hall 6° Floor South Tower Lansing, Michigan 48909 Dear Mr. Wyant: thas been brought to my attention by my constituents in both Midland and Gladwin counties that there is an error in the FEMA flood zone mapping process that has resulted in the requirement that many Michigan residents purchase FEMA flood insurance even though they do not reside in a flood zone. This is causing many residents ofthe district 1 represent to bear an unnecessary financial burden ‘Asa result ofthese inaccurate flood maps area residents have independently contracted their ow topographic map evelopment wit the purpose of identifying more accurate flood zones. These new maps showed that 98% of residents in the curen flood plain, or about 350 households in parts of Midland and Gladwin counties were actually outside the borders ofthe flo plain. The differences in the maps were FEMA's ten foot contours versus the new maps’ two foot contours. Its to my understanding that FEMA has recognized tht the new maps are more accurate however the maps ‘would have to be put through a federal map revision process in order tobe considered in identifying flood plain. My staff has been in contact with Bruce Menerey in your Water Resources department regarding this situation. He was helpful in explaining FEMA’s map revision process which, due to the cost of revising the flood maps, takes approximately two years to complete. The only way a houschold can escape the unnecessary FEMA flood insurance is. iff they contract their own surveyor, this is again, an unnecessary cost and burden to Michigan families. encourage you to promptly look into this issue and insist FEMA only use the new two foot contour flood maps in ‘order to alleviate this unnecessary financial burden on Michigan families. In the interim, 1 would ask that exemptions from requiring FEMA flood insurance be granted to the aforementioned residents until maps depicting an accurate flood plain can be instituted, If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your time and consideration of this very important issue. ce: Congressman Dave Camp; Congressman Dan Benishek; Representative Kevin Cotter; Representative Joe! Johnson; Midland County Commissioner Chair, Mark Bone; Gladwin County Commissioner Chair, Josh Reid Sincerely, ‘Ton Moolenadt ‘State Senator 36" District REPRESENTING: ALCONA + ALPENA + CRAWFORD = GLADWIN + 1OSCO + HHOLAND * MONTHHORENGY ‘OGEMAW + OSCODA + OTSEGO