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U.S. Congressman Bill Posey and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio have reintroduced the Flood Insurance Rate Map Interagency Technology or (FIRM IT) Act, aimed at helping coastal communities across Florida and the country who rely on accurate floodplain mapping as part of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  Congressman Posey first introduced this legislation in 2017 but teamed up with Sen. Rubio last Congress to reintroduce it in 2019.

“We need to get floodplain mapping right,” said Posey, a longtime REALTOR®, and member of the House Financial Services Committee.  “In many cases, we haven’t updated our floodplain maps in 20 years. This proposal will help us do that cheaper, faster, more accurately, and without duplication.”

“Florida businesses and homeowners rely on FEMA to provide accurate information on their risk for flooding, hence why these maps must be up-to-date and correct,” Rubio said, who is leading the effort in the Senate. “This legislation will require FEMA to coordinate with relevant federal agencies to ensure that coastal communities in Florida, and across the nation, have the highest-quality flood maps.” 

Specifically, this legislation requires the Department of Defense, US Geological Survey, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to share all their relevant maps for flood insurance purposes with FEMA, providing Floridians and others who utilize NFIP, with the most accurate data for flood hazard identification.

“Flood hazard identification and flood risk management are important issues for Floridians, and this simple and straightforward legislation will put the most updated information into the hands of Floridians by channeling and streamlining already existing resources of other agencies that produce similar maps,” said Posey.