WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A controversy is unfolding across northeastern Pennsylvania and it all has to do with federal flood maps. Those maps determine flood risks and whether a person or a business has to buy flood insurance.
28/22 News has been receiving calls from residents who say they are being forced to buy flood insurance and they don’t understand the reasons why.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA,) recently updated flood zone maps, and people tell 28/22 News they got quite the shock, including sticker shock, when they got the news.
“When I purchased my home approximately five years ago we specifically were looking for a spot that wasn’t in a flood zone. We didn’t have to worry about flooding or flood insurance,” a West Wyoming resident said.
The West Wyoming resident did not want to appear on camera, but he did want to tell his story of frustration.
He received a letter from his mortgage company saying he now lives in a flood zone, based on updated FEMA maps, and must purchase flood insurance.
If he doesn’t buy it, the mortgage company will add the cost to his monthly payment, which could mean, in his case, anywhere from $200 to $300 a month.
Non-profit sends aid to families hit by Hurricane Beryl Under federal law, if you have a mortgage, you must purchase flood insurance.
“I’m just trying to see what we can do to fight this. What has changed in this area that is making that now we have to pay flood insurance. Since no sort of disaster has hit this area in recent history,” the resident explained.
FEMA does a risk assessment based on the history of an area and flood risk in the future and the Susquehanna River is a big part of that equation.
Robert Borzell is the Flood Plan Manager for Wyoming Borough he too has heard concerns about flood insurance and has seen the updated FEMA maps.
“I’ve been looking at them since I received them, some of the areas I still don’t understand but it’s included in the new FEMA,” Borzell said.
“The major impetus is the Susquehanna River. When it gets high, everything starts to impact local streams that drain into the Susquehanna River,” Engineer Consultant Jim Brozena explained.
A spokesman for FEMA emailed 28/22 News and said they would have a comment or statement. We have not yet heard back.
In the meantime, Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo says, although this is a federal issue.
They are planning to hold a public meeting to provide whatever information they can to area residents.
You can see the updated FEMA maps online .
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