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SpatialNews.com Press Release
MAPPS Testifies before Congress on Flood Map Reform
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Reston, VA, June 12, 2007 – Testifying on behalf of MAPPS before the House Financial Services Subcommittee, Dr. David Maune of Dewberry called for FEMA to collect accurate ground elevation data using the latest state-of-the-art commercial geospatial technologies. Maune made his comments in a hearing on “The Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007, H.R. 1682.”
Maune said in his oral testimony, “H.R. 1682 is a good start in addressing reforms within the NFIP. While MAPPS supports many of the provisions in H.R. 1682, we have developed a series of reforms we believe will help make the program run more efficiently, and most importantly, will ensure accurate mapping data reaches those entities and individuals impacted everyday. We urge their inclusion in H.R. 1682, or other legislation the Committee develops to reform the nation’s flood mapping effort.”
Maune also had an opportunity to answer Subcommittee members’ questions following the conclusion of his opening remarks. The House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity is chaired by Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA).
Among a wider net of reforms to the NFIP, MAPPS also advocated in the written testimony submitted to the subcommittee that Congress help FEMA to:
· Where needed, FEMA should collect accurate ground elevation data using the latest, state-of-the-art commercial geospatial technologies. Language should also provide that hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling be created to support all flooding sources.
FEMA should re-establish the Technical Mapping Advisory Council (TMAC). Membership should include individuals from the private sector topographic mapping profession.
FEMA should be permitted to access the Master Address File (MAF) maintained by the Census Bureau for floodplain management, as well as disaster response.
FEMA should place a new emphasis on vertical positioning, lowest floor and lowest adjacent grade (LAG) elevations, in addition to the traditional focus on horizontal (latitude and longitude) coordinate data.
FEMA should create a National Levee Inventory with a “geospatial” component – X, Y and Z geo-referenced coordinate data – included for each levee in the inventory.
FEMA should transform the program to fully embrace digital products with the goal of eliminating paper products by 2010.
Maune is a member of the MAPPS “FEMA Flood Map Reform Task Force” created in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the increased urgency to improve FEMA’s Flood Map Modernization. MAPPS established this Task Force, comprised of the nation’s leading geospatial professionals engaged in the Flood Map Modernization program, to review Federal policies in place while devising a political solution to remedy this vital national priority. The Task Force membership is comprised of: Maune, Dewberry; Silas Suazo, Bohannan Huston, Inc. (Chair); Michael Bullock, Intermap Technologies; Vince DiCamillo, Greenhorne & O’Mara; and David Greenwood, Michael Baker Corporation.
Other panelists invited to testify in front of this powerful Subcommittee’s hearing include: FEMA’s Deputy Administrator for Insurance, and representatives from the Association of State Floodplain Managers, the American Congress on Survey and Mapping, the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc., and the National Association of Realtors.
“David Maune’s invitation to serve as an expert witness on behalf of MAPPS, shows how far MAPPS members’ technical expertise impact areas outside of the geospatial profession,” said John Palatiello, MAPPS Executive Director.
Interested parties may view an archived webcast via the House Financial Services Committee link found within the ‘Schedule’ listings:
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/ht2061207.shtml.
About MAPPS
MAPPS was formed in 1982 by a small group of U.S. photogrammetry companies as the Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors to represent the interests of private photogrammetric and aerial surveying firms. Since then, MAPPS has expanded in size and scope to become the only national association exclusively comprised of private firms in the spatial data and geographic information system field in the United States. Current MAPPS memberships spans the entire spectrum of the geospatial community, including Member Firms engaged in surveying, photogrammetry, satellite and airborne remote sensing, aerial photography, hydrography, aerial and satellite image processing, GPS, and GIS data collection and conversion services. MAPPS also includes Associate Members, which are companies that provide hardware, software, products and services to the geospatial profession in the United States and other firms from around the world. For more information on MAPPS, please visit www.MAPPS.org.
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