MIDDLETOWN- Bayshore residents facing higher insurance premiums for flood insurance have an ally in Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-13th District).
Handlin announced the launch of a petition drive last week to help residents affected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s revised flood plain maps.
Some 1,820 homes in Middletown, 640 in Hazlet and 100 in Union Beach were added to the flood zone maps, according to a press release from Handlin’s office.
The revised flood plain maps could be costly both to constituents and to the local governments of Hazlet, Keansburg, Middletown and Union Beach.
The petition asks R. David Paulison, administrator of FEMA, to delay finalization of the flood maps until all possible funding sources have been explored.
Handlin is calling the drives Citizen Service Days, when the petition will be circulated in affected areas to collect residents’ signatures.
The first of four Citizen Service Days was held April 24 in Keansburg.
The aim of the drive is “to tell FEMA that what they are doing is hurting residents in our area,” Handlin said at a press conference last week.
“We are kicking it off in Keansburg and bringing it to Hazlet, Middletown and Union Beach to get our voice heard.”
Handlin, as well as representatives from FEMA, held a meeting at the Middletown Public Library on April 8 to display and explain the new flood plain maps to officials from Bayshore municipalities.
FEMA is halfway through a five-year initiative to update all of the nation’s flood maps, according to a release from the agency.
This Map Modernization project is mandated by Congress and uses aerial photography and advanced topography technologies to produce maps in an aerial, digital format that make it easy to see roads and buildings in relation to flood risk zones.
Following the publication of notices by FEMA, there is a 90-day appeal period in which communities can challenge new flood data due to technical information about flood elevations or local topography.
The new maps would become final six months after the last appeal is resolved.
Handlin said that after the meeting, residents left confused as to what the new maps mean for their properties and the cost for flood insurance.
“It’s all been a perfect storm,” Handlin said. “No pun intended, but obviously we are already in tough economic times and people are having fiscal problems. This could affect residents for decades.”
She said that FEMA representatives have been very helpful but didn’t have all the answers she was looking for.
“In a nutshell, FEMA explained their reasons behind the plan but I didn’t get why this is hitting all of us at this time,” Handlin said. “I see no basis for this new mandated map.”
FEMA’s revised flood plain maps were also brought up at Middletown’s Township Committee meeting on April 21 when committee members and residents commented on the situation.
“I am investigating whether there is any other possible alternatives we might have to either forestall the implementation of that or provide some kind of relief for those exposed,” Committeeman Sean Byrnes said. “Especially if the [tax] reval takes place next year, these people are going to be exposed to more costs.”
Deputy Mayor Pamela Brightbill said that the issue crosses political lines.
“We all agree that these new flood maps hurt our residents,” Brightbill said.
It’s not a political issue but a Middletown issue.”
Resident John McGrogan said that he was annoyed at FEMA.
“The fact is that they didn’t do their job,” McGrogan said. “They just dumped this on us.”
Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger told Mc- Grogan about Handlin’s plan and that there are targeted mailings that are being sent to residents in the area.”
The new preliminary maps and flood insurance reports are available online at rmc.mapmodteam.com/RMC2/Counties Monmouth.htm as well as at local municipal offices.
In the meantime, Handlin will be coming to towns with her petition in hand.
Handlin’s next stops will be to bring the petition drive to Hazlet, Middletown and Union Beach in the coming weeks.
Residents who want to sign the petition can also call her office at (732) 787- 1170.
“I’m hoping for a strong launch for my petition drive,” Handlin said. “I hope for so many signatures that FEMA will have no choice but to listen.”