Recent Press Releases

Washington, D.C. — 

U.S. Senators John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota), and Representative Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota) today sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Fugate calling on the agency to develop a new flood map for Sioux Falls as soon as possible.

Over the past several years, the City of Sioux Falls has worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the congressional delegation to upgrade the levee system along the Big Sioux River and Skunk Creek, taking the necessary flood protections to help protect nearly 1,600 Sioux Falls residents and businesses under FEMA’s expanded 100-year floodplain. These homeowners and businesses have been required to purchase flood insurance due to the potential hazard the previous levees posed to flooding the area. It is now up to FEMA to work with the community to issue a new flood map for Sioux Falls based on the upgraded levee system.

The delegation writes, “Now that the Corps has certified the levee upgrades, it is critical that FEMA work with the city to approve a new flood map that accurately reflects these community and federal investments in enhanced flood protection as soon as possible. Any unnecessary administrative delays in adopting an updated map would result in prolonged and avoidable financial hardships on affected families and businesses.”

The text of the delegation letter follows:
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September 11, 2014

Mr. William Craig Fugate
Director, Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Center Plaza, 500 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20472

Dear Director Fugate:

We write to request your prompt action on finalizing a new flood map in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

For the past several years, the City of Sioux Falls, the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the State of South Dakota, and the South Dakota congressional delegation have worked to upgrade the levee system along the Big Sioux River and Skunk Creek, which was originally built in the 1950s. At the delegation’s urging, the city took the extraordinary step to advance fund the federal government’s outstanding federal obligations to accelerate the necessary flood protections, which are now complete. On August 22, 2014, the Corps notified the city that the levees have been certified for the design storm flows. Accordingly, the city and the Corps have submitted the Letter of Map Revision to your office to commence the drafting of a new flood map in Sioux Falls.

Following Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began a review of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps that resulted in an expansion of the 100-year floodplain and requirement for an additional 1,600 Sioux Falls residents and businesses to purchase federal flood insurance. The expanded threat of flooding posed a potential hazard to the community and created a financial hardship for families and businesses. Now that the Corps has certified the levee upgrades, it is critical that FEMA work with the city to approve a new flood map that accurately reflects these community and federal investments in enhanced flood protection as soon as possible. Any unnecessary administrative delays in adopting an updated map would result in prolonged and avoidable financial hardships on affected families and businesses.    

We thank you for your timely response to this request and welcome the opportunity to meet with you at your earliest convenience to discuss the importance of finalizing the new flood map as soon as possible.

Sincerely,