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#Post#: 1405--------------------------------------------------
As Unsafe Canal Embankments are Cleared, so is the need for
Mandatory Flood Insurance
DIR By: Doug K
Date: February 23, 2021, 11:24 am
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While many of the guests that frequent the New York State Canal
Corporation's property may disagree, the need to clear unsafe
earthen embankments is MOST important to those neighbors living
adjacent to the canal or living below one of it's 125 miles of
Earthen Embankment Dams. While not a popular stand with the tens
of thousands of Erie Trail Users who hike, walk or bike along
the Empire Trail System, and who may not like the new panoramic
views they are seeing now, those folks should understand it's
about the stakeholders of this embankment clearing, those living
below them in constant danger.
There is a cost for keeping canal embankments unsafe... and it
will be paid for by it's neighbors, in the form of Flood
Insurance Premiums.
For true Erie Canal neighbors, it's always been about SAFETY
FIRST, and that includes NOT having to obtain Flood Insurance
policies, and saving our wallets from emptying out. Mandatory
Flood Insurance is NOT a choice, it's based on Flood Inundation
Mapping that is done with FEMA oversight.
FEMA sets the rules for mapping, and works with property owners
to identify potential flooding issues on their property that may
affect the public around them.
FEMA also handle the National Flood Insurance Plan as well, to
insure that all property owners living within a designated Flood
Zone can obtain Insurance, even if their own company can't or
won't supply it.
In 2018, when the NY Canal Corporation undertook their Canal
Embankment Restoration Project known as EERP, they went through
the painstaking process of having all the FEMA flood Maps, along
the Erie Canal, updated to reflect the flood potential that
these canal embankments had created. Many New York County maps,
for Towns & Villages inside those Canal Communities, were
changed, updated with NEW flood information. The only exception
appears to be Wayne County, for some unknow reason it's Town/
Village maps were NOT updated. But Monroe County was, as well as
counties EAST of Wayne County have new FEMA maps.
Brockport was one of those areas... and here's the the Before &
After FEMA Flood maps from 2008 and 2018 for the surrounding
area.
[attachimg=1]
As you can see the ENTIRE area in the Village of Brockport and
the much of the towns of Sweden & Clarkson went from a Zone X,
with no danger of flooding, to a Zone A, AE, AO. It's a huge
change which could result in MANDATORY flood insurance for many
homeowners if the unsafe Canal Embankment conditions were not
addressed.
The same thing happened to many communities in and around
Rochester, here's the maps from one eastside town & village.
FAIRPORT - PERINTON 2008
[attachimg=2]
FAIRPORT - PERINTON 2018
[attachimg=3]
The original Canal Embankment Restoration Project was met with
"reluctant acceptance" by some communities, mostly on the
western side of Monroe County, through Orleans & Niagara
Counties, all the way to Erie County. In those sections many of
the most unsafe earthen embankments were cleared of overgrown
trees and have now been planted with grass covering, there are
still more embankments that will need clearing & repair as time
goes on and the Canal Corporation fixes it's earthen dam safety
nightmare.
And while these westside communities worked WITH the NY State
Canal Corporation to make sure their communities were safe, some
people in the Rochester area fought against these changes and
this canal safety project. They formed groups to fight the work,
and managed to convince a few towns on the east side of
Rochester, to stop the Embankment Restoration project from
making their communities safer.
Through litigation on environmental review specifics for the
Canal Embankment project, they put a hold on work in their own
neighborhoods & towns, and those unsafe embankments are still a
threat today, along with the need for those NEIGHBORS living
near the canal to consider they may be REQUIRED to purchase
flood insurance in the future.
The Earthen Embankment Repair Work went on for many canal
communities in the western end of the Erie Canal. Cleared
embankment dams are safe embankment dams and so it stands to
reason that once the restoration work was completed the FEMA
Flood maps would be updated, and the maps would reflect the new
safer earthen dams. And that change has now come to pass, but
only where these canal embankments have been repaired.
Here's the NEW updated FEMA Flood Map for Brockport and the
surrounding area. You will see that is has reverted back to it's
2008 version, with a few minor changes
[attachimg=4]
HTML https://www.canals.ny.gov/Earthen_Embankment/maps/Monroe/Village%20of%20Brockport/Figure%20106G_%20FEMA%20Flood%20Hazard%20Areas%20-%20Town%20of%20Sweden%20and%20Village%20of%20Brockport.pdf
And, as a matter of FACT... all of the county FEMA Maps WEST of
Brockport have also been updated. Here's a an image of one map
and a list of other Cities, Towns & Villages where Canal
Embankments have been repaired and Flood risk has been
minimized.
[attachimg=5]
And what about those Eastside Canal Communities in Monroe
County?
Well, those towns & villages are the ONLY ones that still have
FEMA Maps showing flood inundation across their entire area,
because unsafe earthen dams on the canal can flood everywhere in
those communities. The information is there, the Canal
Corporation has been crystal clear on the danger of both
flooding & the need for Flood Insurance, just look at the maps.
HTML https://www.canals.ny.gov/Earthen_Embankment/maps/Monroe/Town%20of%20Henrietta/Figure%2099G_%20FEMA%20Flood%20Hazard%20Areas%20-%20Town%20of%20Henrietta.pdf
HTML https://www.canals.ny.gov/Earthen_Embankment/maps/Monroe/Town%20of%20Pittsford/Figure%2098G_%20FEMA%20Flood%20Hazard%20Areas%20-%20Town%20and%20Village%20of%20Pittsford.pdf
HTML https://www.canals.ny.gov/Earthen_Embankment/maps/Monroe/Village%20of%20Fairport/Figure%2097G_%20FEMA%20Flood%20Hazard%20Areas%20-%20Town%20of%20Perinton%20and%20Village%20of%20Fairport.pdf
And canal embankments in those eastside communities are still
covered with trees, making them unsafe, and those living around
them equally unsafe. "Life & Death" public safety issues, along
the Erie Canal Embankments, has been ignored by all of the
LEADERS of these communities which is the most shameful part.
And there are STILL some people in those communities, who are
actively fighting against the NEWEST Canal Corporation
Embankment Integrity Program that is meant to fix these old,
unsafe earth dams, keeping their neighbors & community unsafe
and in peril. It's also as shameful as the Town & Village
Leaders who are ignoring the safety issues and NOT speaking out
against this group.
But now community leader silence, and the actions of these
misguided group of people, is placing entire communities "in
peril". And it's still from canal FLOODING and now it just be
also include having to pay for Flood Insurance as a result.
Sadly there doesn't seem to be an end to this "encouraged
ignorance"
I've always believed "An informed Public is a SAFE public".
I can only suggest that if you live NEAR or NEXT TO any Canal
Embankment, you should get your information on Canal Safety from
right the source. Follow th link below to learn about how canal
safety affects you.
Or, simply pay for Flood Insurance because because someone else
says Trees or Shade are more important than your personal safety
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/general-discussion/t762/
HTML https://ecna.us/eeip/
HTML https://www.canals.ny.gov/Earthen_Embankment/index.html
#Post#: 1407--------------------------------------------------
Re: As Unsafe Canal Embankments are Cleared, so is the need for
Mandatory Flood Insurance
DIR By: Doug K
Date: February 24, 2021, 11:29 am
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And amazingly, since YESTERDAY when these maps were checked and
links were created, the New York State Canal Corporation has now
released UPDATED FEMA maps for Perinton, Fairport, Henrietta,
etc...and voila, No Flood Zone A ratings.
Those "new" maps are all dated with a January 27, 2021 revision,
not yesterday's date, not today's. Seems these FEMA maps had
been DONE all along. but weren't posted for some odd reason
until THIS POST showed up on the ECNA Forum website.
Hmm... Interesting. It would appear that there is no danger now,
which doesn't bode well for a property owners who stated
otherwise just a few years ago.
Well anyway, It's nice to know the NYS Canal Corporation are
listening. Too bad they still can't hear the voices of their
Canal Neighbors asking where the promised Empire Trail Natural
Barrier Screening is for all of the property owners who have had
their privacy & sense of security vanish, along with the trees
on their canal embankments.
Mr. Stratton, are you listening?
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