Louisiana’s Vitter Wants to Stop Flood Map Updates While Levees Fixed

U.S. Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana wants to stop the Federal Emergency Management Agency from updating flood maps around communities working to fix levees found to be deficient.

Vitter said many areas in Louisiana could face a steep rise in insurance rates if FEMA is allowed to update the maps before levee repairs are done. Vitter says Lafourche and Rapides parishes face seeing their levees decertified under the new maps.

Vitter talked about his bill when he met officials in Lafourche Parish on Mar. 1.

Vitter says FEMA’s flood map update “is quickly becoming a national issue” and he hopes Congress can come up with “a more permanent levee certification fix.