WASHINGTON   –  U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) is part of an effort by 70 members of the U.S. House of Representatives to get the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to cooperate on updating the nation’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps.

“The outcome of this process affects every American living or working alongside our rivers.  This process not only identifies flood risk, but it also holds importance for the process of setting flood insurance rates for property owners in the affected areas,” Emerson said.  “Accuracy is of the utmost importance, as is the flexibility to recognize improvements to the flood protection infrastructure that makes the likelihood of flooding in certain areas much lower.”

Emerson emphasized that communication between FEMA, the Corps and local stakeholders in the flood mapping process is essential to returning a useful Flood Insurance Rate Map.

“This is a major undertaking with lasting ramifications for Southern Missouri, Northeast Arkansas, and many other regions of our country.  We need to be sure levee recertification is coordinated between the Corps and FEMA, that there is plenty of time to make repairs to flood control structures before the flood maps are finalized, and that the flood insurance resulting from these maps reflects the economic effect of dramatic price increases in small and rural communities,” Emerson said.  “Inaccuracies in these maps can cost us millions of dollars.  This is too important a process for there to be any mistakes.”

Emerson has met independently with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials to request a sharp focus on the Flood Map Modernization.