Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman is urging the top official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to slow down a process that could force some homeowners in Albuquerque’s South Valley to buy costly flood protection insurance. 

FEMA recently released new draft flood maps for Bernalillo County, which show that portions of the South Valley are subject to potential flooding -- in some areas because levees in the region need structural repairs. FEMA is in the process of deciding when to finalize the maps; finalizing maps will trigger homeowners who currently do not have to buy costly flood insurance to begin doing so. 

Bingaman pointed out that the federal government is providing $4.5 million for improvements to levees in the South Valley. In a letter to FEMA Administrator David R. Paulison, Bingaman pointed out that when the upgrade is complete, parcels of land that now appear in the flood plain will be removed. Bingaman asked Paulison to postpone finalizing three “panels” of the draft maps while levee upgrades are underway. 

“It doesn’t make sense to finalize maps that will soon be obsolete. It’s also unfair to ask residents to purchase costly flood insurance, when just a few months from now they will no longer be living in a flood plain,” Bingaman said. “That’s why I’m asking FEMA to delay finalizing portions of the draft flood map, giving us time to upgrade the levee that needs work.” 

In his letter, Bingaman acknowledged the important work FEMA is doing to protect homeowners. But he also pointed out that the agency has shown willingness to work with communities on a similar issue in the past. Just last year, at Bingaman’s urging, FEMA delayed finalizing flood maps that would have required thousands of Doña Ana County residents to purchase costly flood insurance. Funding for work to improve levees was approved by Congress late last year, and that project will soon begin. 

“Having worked with FEMA before on floodplain mapping issues in Doña Ana County, New Mexico I know the value that FEMA places on the accuracy of these maps. Given that construction on levees in these panel areas is to be completed by February, this means that by the time FEMA issues the updated floodplain maps, residents will be required to purchase insurance for just three months before the maps will be updated again,” Bingaman wrote to Paulison. 

“Thus, in order to minimize disruption for the residents of southern Bernalillo County and to ensure that the maps are as accurate as possible I strongly urge FEMA to delay issuance of final floodplain maps for panels 35001-C0533E, 35001-C0529E, and 35001-C0527E in Bernalillo County,” he wrote.