Project Goal Through a public process help develop innovative and - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Stakeholder Meeting July 10 th 2013 5:00-7:00pm Corless Auditorium, URI Bay Campus

Project Goal • Through a public process help develop innovative and practical policies and tools for managing development along shorelines vulnerable to erosion and flooding Hurricane Irene, RI Sea Grant Melissa Devine, 2012 Melissa Devine, 2012 Lynne Harrington, Pawtuxet Cove 2012

Thank you! • Rhode Island Bays, Rivers and Watershed Coordination Team • URI Coastal Institute • Rhode Island Foundation • Rhode Island Sea Grant • Rhode Island Geologic Survey • Coastal Resources Management Council • URI Coastal Resources Center • URI Graduate School of Oceanography • URI College of Environmental and Life Sciences • RI Statewide Planning (North Kingstown) • Prince Charitable Trusts and Van Buren Charitable Foundation (Newport) • NOAA, TNC, Save the Bay, NB National Estuarine Research Reserve , Roger Image Credit, CRMC Williams University (Marsh Migration)

Project Update Policy and Adaptation Review is underway April 2013- Kick off Meeting Field work, Mapping & Modeling Areas at Risk Ongoing state and local coordination of efforts Melissa Devine, 2012 Melissa Devine, 2012

Audience Polling

Test Question: Have you lived in Rhode Island 10 years or longer? 78% A. Yes B. No C. I don’t live in Rhode 13% Island 7% 3% D. I don’t know Yes No I don’t know I don’t live in Rhode Island

How would you best characterize your affiliation? A. Local official/board 24% B. State agency 21% C. Federal agency 15% D. University/academia 10% 10% 9% E. Non-profit group 7% 3% F. Business/Insurance G. Interested citizen Business/Insurance Interested citizen Other State agency Federal agency University/academia Local official/board Non-profit group H. Other

Are you a property owner? A. Yes, my primary residence is in RI 72% B. Yes, my secondary residence is in RI C. Yes, I own business property is in RI 15% 7% 6% D. Yes, but I own 0% outside of RI Yes, my primary residence... Yes, but I own outside of RI Yes, my secondary residen.. Yes, I own business proper.. No, I don't own property... E. No, I don't own property now.

Do you currently have flood insurance? A. No, and I do not intend to purchase flood insurance in 73% the next year B. No, but I intend to purchase flood insurance in the next year C. No, but I intend to purchase 24% flood insurance in the next 6 months D. Yes, I have purchased flood 1% 1% 0% insurance within the last year No, and I do not intend .. Yes, I have purchased flo.. Yes, I have been purchasi.. No, but I intend to purcha.. No, but I intend to purcha.. E. Yes, I have been purchasing flood insurance for MORE than a year

If you do have flood insurance, do you own a home/building built before 1975? 75% A. Yes B. No C. I don’t have flood 20% insurance 5% 0% D. I don’t know Yes No I don’t know I don’t have flood insurance

National Flood Insurance Reforms – What do these changes mean for Rhode Island? Impact of changes to the NFIP under Section 205 of the Biggert-Waters Act July 10, 2013 R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY

National Flood Insurance Program Background • National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 – Established the NFIP – Required mapping of flood-prone areas – Made flood insurance available to all residents of communities that meet floodplain management requirements – Afforded communities ability to obtain certain types of disaster assistance R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY

The NFIP: How It Works R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY

Flood Insurance Facts • Standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover flooding. • Flood Insurance is required if you live in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) or high-risk area AND have a federally backed mortgage or other commitment (reverse mortgage, line of credit, etc.) • A lender can require flood insurance, even if a structure is NOT in the SFHA. • Flood insurance can be purchased through a local insurance agent. R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY

Rhode Island NFIP Facts • All 39 communities and 1 Tribe participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). • Currently 16,271 policies in Rhode Island (Data as of July 3, 2013) – Bristol: 2,128 – Kent : 2,495 – Newport: 2,996 – Providence: 2,733 – Washington: 5,919 • Average RI Premium is $1,303/annually R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY

Important Terms • Base Flood: Flood that has a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM): An official map where FEMA has • delineated the special flood hazard area. Pre-FIRM structure: A structure built before the community’s first • FIRM became effective. • Post-FIRM structure: A structure built after the community’s first FIRM became effective. • Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA): Areas subject to the Base Flood or greater in any given year. These include V Zones and A Zones. R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY

Mapping: Why New Maps? • There is a nationwide project underway to update the FEMA FIRMs. A combination of new data and outdated maps has propelled the project. • The maps were created by a FEMA contactor, STARR, through extensive modeling using new transects, surveys and coastal analyses. R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY

Projected Effective Dates • Bristol County: May 16, 2014 • Kent County: September 18, 2013 • Newport County: September 4, 2013 • Providence County: September 18, 2013 • Washington County: October 16, 2013 • The preliminary maps will go effective county-wide on these dates. • If communities want to remain in good standing with the NFIP (and they do), each impacted community will adopt the floodplain ordinance and corresponding panels. R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY

Changes are Coming to the NFIP Congress passed the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 • (Biggert-Waters 2012), which will: – Make the NFIP more financially stable by raising rates on certain classes of property to reflect true flood risk; and – Trigger rate changes for certain properties within a revised or updated map area to accurately reflect the flood risk. Intent is to eliminate subsidies for: • – Structures built prior to the first flood insurance map in a community (pre-FIRM) – Policies based on the map in effect when structure was built (grandfathering) Artificially low rates and discounts no longer are sustainable. • R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY

Program Changes Effective Oct. 1, 2013 Revised Premium Rates • – V Zones (Coastal velocity zones) • Post-FIRM: Premium will increase 11% • Pre-FIRM: Premiums will increase 17% – A Zones • Post-FIRM: Premium will increase 6% • Pre-FIRM: Premiums will increase 16% – X Zones (outside the SFHA) • Standard-Rated Policy: Premium will increase 8% • Preferred Risk Polices (PRP): Premiums will increase 1% Reserve Fund – 5% reserve fund assessment is to be included for all • policies other than PRP’s. Federal Policy Fee – Increasing from $20  $22 for PRP policies and from • $40  $44 for all other policies R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY

Who Will Be Affected by Subsidy Changes? Not everyone – 43% of NFIP policies in RI receive subsidies. • Owners of subsidized non-primary residences in a Special Flood • Hazard Area will see 25% increase annually until rates reflect true risk – began January 1, 2013. Owners of subsidized property that has experienced severe • repetitive flood losses or that has incurred flood cumulative damage with flood insurance payments exceeding the value of the structure will see 25% rate increase annually until rates reflect true risk – October 2013. Owners of subsidized business properties in a Special Flood • Hazard Area will see 25% rate increase annually until rates reflect true risk – October 2013. Owners of substantially damaged or substantially improved • subsidized property will see 25% rate increase. R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY R HODE I SLAND E MERGENCY M ANAGEMENT A GENCY