FEMA Agrees to Assess Impact of Floodplain Development Program on Numerous Threatened and Endangered Species

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FEMA Agrees to Assess Impact of Floodplain Development Program on Numerous Threatened and Endangered Species

NEW MEXICO, SANTA FE, Mar. 28 -/E-Wire/-- In a move that could reduce death and destruction as a result of flooding, by discouraging building in dangerous floodplains along New Mexico's major rivers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently agreed to determine the effect of its National Flood Insurance Program on numerous endangered species. The agreement comes in response to a lawsuit filed in January of last year by Forest Guardians, the Sierra Club and the Southwest Environmental Center that claimed that new development along river banks and in the adjacent floodplain was damaging the habitat of species listed under the Endangered Species Act.

The settlement agreement, which was signed in late February, requires FEMA to consult with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service on the effects of the National Flood Insurance Program by submitting a Biological Assessment to the agency by April 1st. The assessment will address the effects of implementing the National Flood Insurance Program, which allows for development to occur within floodprone portions of communities, on all the major New Mexico rivers including the Rio Grande, San Juan and Pecos.

The environmental groups claim that uncontrolled development of floodplains along the Rio Grande and San Juan River is harming endangered fish and wildlife including the Bald eagle, Southwestern willow flycatcher and the Rio Grande silvery minnow. The NFIP allows for business and homeowner within participating cities, counties and other local governments to build in hazardous, flood-pone areas and receive federal insurance as long as the communities adopt certain minimal land-use controls.

"We hope this assessment and its final outcome demonstrate that protecting floodprone areas from permanent human encroachment is vital not only for endangered fish and wildlife, but also because it can help keep people out of harm's way," said John Horning, Forest Guardians Conservation Director. "The bottom line is that protecting floodprone areas protects people and fish and wildife."

The settlement agreement represents the first time in the western United States that FEMA has agreed to assess the effects of the NFIP on endangered fish and wildlife. In addition, the agreement obligates FEMA to conduct 10 assessments of community compliance with the requirements of the program. In the past two years, only three assessments have been completed. The groups claim the environmental impact of the flood insurance program has grown dramatically over the last decade in New Mexico as an increasing number of agricultural lands are subdivided for commercial and residential development.

"This is an historic agreement," said Richard Barish of the Sierra Club. "Development in the floodplain of the Rio Grande will make it much more difficult to restore the river and recover our endangered species. For instance, floodplain development could prevent controlled flooding between the levees that would create habitat needed by willow flycatchers and silvery minnows. FEMA needs to take into account the effects of floodplain development on endangered species and on the environment in general when it is considering whether it should insure such development."

Over the last 25 years, the federal government has spent more than $140 billion in preparing for and recovering from floods according to a 1998 report by the National Wildlife Federation. Kevin Bixby, director of the Southwest Environmental Center believes "protecting floodplains makes economic and ecological sense." "Instead of bailing people out for unwisely building in these floodprone areas," Bixby added, "we should be spending taxpayer money to acquire and permanently protect our river's floodplains."

For a copy of the lawsuit, see http://www.fguardians.org/nfip-suit.html

John Horning [505/988-9126]

Richard Barish [505/232-3013]

Kevin Bixby [505/522-5552]

Conservation Director

[REDACTED-EMAIL]

http://www.fguardians.org

http://www.fguardians.org/nfip-suit.html

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