[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Council disagrees with FEMA's elevation advisories

[Westley Annis]

PARISH COUNCIL, PLEASE DO NOT FURTHER DELAY OR GOD FORBID PREVENT THE LRA
MONEY FROM ST BERNARD!!!!  THE 3 FEET MIGHT NOT MAKE SENSE, BUT THOSE ARE
UNFORTUNATELY THE RULES OF THE GAME.

ANY ACTION PREVENTING LRA MONEY FROM ASSISTING YOUR RESIDENTS WILL DO
NOTHING MORE THAN FURTHER STAGNATE GROWTH!!!!

Alan
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FULL STORY
http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl060606khelevation.5f554397.html

St. Bernard Parish Council disagrees with FEMA's elevation advisories

10:14 PM CDT on Tuesday, June 6, 2006
Shauna Sanford / WWL-TV News Reporter

<<<When it comes to determining the base flood elevation levels for St.
Bernard, Taffaro said the council did not agree with the elevation
advisories recently recommended by FEMA: that any home with 50%-plus damage
would have to be elevated by three feet.

Taffaro said information collected by the parish's own flood plain
management team one year before Katrina was never considered.

"Not one time did the FEMA representatives request that data, review that
data, or discuss that data with our representatives," Taffaro said. "And to
elevate our properties parish wide at a random number of three feet was
based more on insurance risks than safety issues."

Like other parishes devastated by the storm, St. Bernard Parish has relied
on federal assistance through the Louisiana Recovery Authority.

In order to get that money, the LRA said parishes must adopt the elevation
advisories; but St. Bernard is asking for an exemption.

"I believe that the LRA is going to see clearly that our scientific data
will support our not adopting the advisory base flood elevations," Taffaro
said.

Attorney Walter Leger, who is a member of the LRA, said while the board has
been counting on FEMA to determine the best flood elevations, it understands
the concerns of St. Bernard Parish.

"But when these advisories came out a three foot off adjacent ground
elevation didn't quite make sense in every case," Leger said.

Even if FEMA changes the requirements, Leger said the parish could not
escape adopting the advisories if it wants the federal dollars.

"That was a requirement that the White House and Don Powell gave to us,"
he said. "It was a requirement that we complied with in preparation of the
plan and it's a requirement that has been approved by HUD."

Meanwhile, Taffaro said he and other members of the council were ready to
talk to the LRA and FEMA about what they want to see in terms of the flood
elevation levels. Walter Leger said they are open to meeting with the
council but no formal meeting has been scheduled so far.>>>