Sea levels are rising at an alarming rate. According to a report in Nature Communications, sea levels on the northeast coast of the U.S. made a dramatic jump in the year 2009-2010. At first glance, the increase of about 128mm (4″) does not seem to be particularly noteworthy. Statistically, however, the sudden increase is very significant. This single-year rise has not been seen at any time during the last 100 years, and is said to be an event that occurs no more than once every 850 years.

Rising sea levels are of critical importance to the millions of residents and business owners that throng this highly-developed region. Any increase in sea level means that storm surges have an ever-increasing toehold on the land where homes, businesses and skyscrapers cling to precarious foundations. The evidence is now almost universally accepted by scientists: climate change is largely responsible for the increase in sea levels.

Sea level rise is affected by many factors. The northeast coast of the U.S. is close to ocean currents that are very strong, fierce and damaging. Ocean currents, changes in wind patterns, the increasing incidence of storms and hurricanes, climate change and global sea level rise combine in ways not fully understood. These factors influence each other and may produce conditions not yet seen or studied. For this reason, a jump in sea level rise could cause far-reaching results that seem grossly out of proportion to the 128mm increase.

There are many theories to explain the sudden sea level rise. The most accepted theory blames the Atlantic Ocean current called the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). When the AMOC slows, weather patterns, erosion patterns and sea levels are affected on both sides of the Atlantic. Scientists predict that the AMOC will continue to slow during this century, increasing the rate of sea level rise for the northeast U.S. coastal regions.

The situation may be worse than predicted by scientists, and must therefore be addressed on a timeline more aggressive than is currently in place.

The New York City Panel on Climate Change earlier this year released a report that foresees a sea level rise of six feet for the New York area during this century. Sea level rise in this zone is already about twice the global average, and much of the metropolis is low lying. FEMA flood maps show how much of the city is at risk for flooding.

The dire prediction inspired quick action by New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio. The mayor announced plans to reduce emissions in New York City by an ambitious 80 percent and unveiled measures that will be put in place to protect his vulnerable city from flooding. “We have a comprehensive, multi-layered resiliency plan that is already making neighborhoods safer,” DeBlasio said.

The city is also investing $30 million in innovative technologies and climate change solutions to at-risk and vulnerable small businesses impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Among the building systems that will be deployed by the city are thin, impact-resistant, modular flood barriers that can be installed quickly and efficiently before a storm event; technology that monitors flood control data in real time to control valves in storm and plumbing systems, preventing critical utility systems from flood inundation; and a system to capture, transfer and deliver natural light to dark interior building spaces. (Click to read the news release).

These actions by New York City are prudent and timely with tropical storms already impacting the east coast before the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season on June 1. Property owners located in coastal zones will need to take prompt action to protect investments and lives. Practical and comprehensive measures should be implemented to defend against the encroaching sea.

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Tom Osborne is the president of Flood Panel, LLC of Jupiter, Florida (www.floodpanel.com), where he oversees design, development and operations for the manufacture of flood mitigation products for commercial buildings in flood zones nationwide. Tom has worked closely with the Association of Flood Plain Managers nationwide, and specifically in New Jersey, where recovery from major flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy is ongoing. Tom is a member of the Small Business Association of America and is a Certified Provider of Continuing Education for the Architectural Institute of America for Dry Flood Proofing Commercial Buildings.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Just over one month ago, President Obama signed the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act, making it law throughout the country. This new law will affect many homeowners and businesses- some of whom will be pleased with lower rates, while others may be dismayed by new surcharges.

Here is a look at the new law (click image to view PDF in a new window):

(Source: FEMA: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/99601)

The new law lowers the recent rate increases on some policies, prevents some future rate increases, and adds a surcharge to all policies. The Act also repeals certain rate increases that have already gone into effect and provides for refunds to those policyholders.

FEMA will be working with Congress, the private “Write Your Own” insurance companies, and other affected entities to implement these Congressionally-mandated reforms. FEMA will also be working toward the goals of helping families maintain affordable flood insurance, ensuring the financial stability of the NFIP, and reducing the risks and consequences of flooding nationwide. FEMA will continue to identify and publish special flood hazards and flood risk zones as authorized and required by Congress.

The changes mandated by the new law will not happen immediately. While the new law does require some changes to be made retroactively, applying to certain policies written after July 6, 2012, other changes require establishment of new programs, processes and procedures. FEMA’s first priority will be to stop policy increases for certain subsidized policyholders as outlined in the Act. Some refunds will be issued, but this will affect only a small percentage of the overall NFIP policy base.

In accordance with the new law, FEMA will work to develop and finalize its guidance and rate tables within eight months. The law provides Write-Your-Own (WYO) insurance companies between six and eight months to implement the changes and update systems to implement the new law. FEMA is working closely with the WYO insurance companies to develop a timetable for processing refunds expediently.

The new law requires gradual rate increases to properties now receiving artificially low (or subsidized) rates instead of immediate increases to full-risk rates required in certain cases under BW-12. FEMA is required to increase premiums for most subsidized properties by no less than 5 percent annually until the class premium reaches its full-risk rate. It is important to note that close to 80 percent of NFIP policyholders paid a full-risk rate prior to either BW-12 or HFIAA, and are minimally impacted by either law. With limited exceptions, flood insurance premiums cannot increase more than 18 percent annually. There are some exceptions to these general rules and limitations.

The most important of these exceptions is that policies in the following categories will continue to see a 25% annual increase until they reach their full-risk rate:

• Older business properties insured with subsidized rates;
• Older non-primary residences insured with subsidized rates;
• Severe Repetitive Loss Properties insured with subsidized rates;
• Buildings that have been substantially damaged or improved, that were built before the local adoption of a Flood Insurance Rate Map (known as Pre-FIRM properties).

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

Please click on image to view PDF document in a new window.

In April of 2015, changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will be implemented. These changes will bring some minor relief to some, and pain to others. The changes are mandated by the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA), which was passed by Congress in 2014.

After the major storm events that struck the heavily populated US East Coast in the past few years, changes were made to federal flood plain maps. These changes placed thousands of properties newly inside the flood zone, thus requiring them to obtain flood insurance for the first time. The addition of many new properties led insurance companies to raise rates precipitously in 2013, and many homeowners were unable to afford the now-required insurance.

For this reason, Congress decided to modify the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act, which had been passed in 2012. The situation had changed rapidly since the passage of this legislation, and the law now resulted in consequences that had not been intended: onerous and steep increases in insurance rates for homeowners.

The HFIAA will help offer some relief to beleaguered homeowners in the following ways:

• Setting rates for allowable increases to insurance policies. The increase in rates for individual homeowners will be capped at 18%.
• Some subsidized insurance holders will receive mandatory rate increases, which will lower rates for others.
• Properties that have been newly designated as being within flood zones will receive an economical insurance plan for the first year.
• A reserve fund will be established to ensure policy coverage in the event of a new, large disaster that produces many claims.

These changes, while helpful, fall far short of the relief many property owners were hoping for. Faced with sudden, newly mandated flood insurance requirements, many homeowners have failed to buy the insurance, or have dropped existing policies when the rates skyrocketed. FEMA, on its website, starkly warns homeowners against this course of action. Properties without flood insurance will not only face the spring flooding season without any protection, but will suffer additional rate increases as a result of dropping the insurance or failing to get new insurance coverage by the deadline.

A quick look at the “relief provisions” of the HFIAA reveals the dire situation that many homeowners are facing. For example, the HFIAA caps rate increases to ‘only’ 18% … but that is still a huge and unaffordable increase for many households. Although the US economy is said to be strong, and unemployment is low, wages have not kept pace with rising costs, and many families are still struggling.

In the same vein, although the HFIAA does provide “economical” rates for new policies, but these reduced rates are in effect for the first year only — after which the homeowner will face the 18% increase in rates. In summary, it appears that the HFIAA changes, while better than nothing, will still leave many property owners in a very difficult position.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA

The new Executive Order (EO) 13690, enacted by President Obama earlier this year, is currently in the public comment phase. Comments from builders, floodplain managers, city officials, or members of the general public will be heard until the date of April 6, 2015.

After that date, the comments will be sifted and considered, and changes to the EO will be included in the final legislation. EO 13690 will amend the previous EO 11988, which went into effect decades ago. The climate of the planet has changed since the enactment of the earlier EO, and these changes are now better understood by the scientific community.

It is now generally agreed that human activity is changing the climate of the planet, and that these changes are occurring much faster than previously thought. In order to protect public investment for infrastructure and new projects, these ventures must now meet guidelines designed to protect the building sites well into the future.

The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFM) is currently asking its members, community members, and any other interested parties to weigh in on the proposed EO. Comments may be registered at this website (click on image to visit in a new window):

Click here to open web page in a new window

To make a comment, simply click on the green box that reads “Submit a Formal Comment”

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA