Number: 1978-04
WHEREAS, the costs in terms of losses of lives and property from flooding have risen steadily over the years despite structural flood control projects; and
WHEREAS, the National Flood Insurance Program was instituted in 1968 as a nonstructural alternative to flood damage control and to relieve the federal government as taxpayers of part of the costs associated with flooding by reducing the costs of federal disaster relief, by making developers aware of their risks, and by shifting risks for flood plain development to the developers; and
WHEREAS, Section 202(b) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 encouraged participation in the flood insurance program, which had been lagging, by applying economic sanctions to those flood-prone communities which refused to join the program and to institute basic flood plain ordinances; and
WHEREAS, within two years of the enactment of the 1973 Act federal disaster relief was reduced by $50 million; and, by 1977, 15,500 of the 20,000 identified flood-prone communities had joined the program; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that the flood insurance program will save taxpayers almost $2 billion annually in flood disaster relief by the year 1980; and
WHEREAS, continued success of the program will save tax dollars and result in the saving of lives and valuable land and water resources lost in dam construction; and
WHEREAS, in many areas participation is lagging because of unrealistic and arbitrary determinations of “flood-prone” areas by H.U.D. without due regard to local interests and concerns;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 16-19, 1978, in Phoenix, Ariz., hereby deplores action by the Congress repealing Section 202(b) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, and urges that it reinstitute economic or other effective sanctions against flood-prone communities which refuse to protect themselves by joining the National Flood Insurance Program; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that H.U.D. be encouraged to attempt to be more responsible to local needs and concerns in setting guidelines for participation.