WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker today encouraged residents in Monroe and Itawamba counties to attend upcoming public meetings to find out more about floodplain management and potential changes to the floodplain maps in their communities.

The Mississippi Flood Map Modernization Initiative Team will host Flood Risk Open House forums in Amory and Fulton in early May.

The Monroe County meeting in Amory is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 5, at the Monroe County Government Complex, 619 Highland Drive.

For Itawamba County, the open house in Fulton is slated for 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Thursday, May 6, at the Itawamba County Development Council building, 107 W. Wiygul Street.
 
Senator Cochran said: “This meeting represents an opportunity for people in Monroe and Itawamba counties to take an active role in local floodplain management. Our state has experienced significant flooding events in the past, and I am hopeful these meetings will engage and educate the public about flood risk and mitigation.”

Senator Wicker said: “All counties in Mississippi are now going through this floodplain review process, and it is important to have public participation.  I strongly encourage residents to attend their local meeting to learn more about the process from local, state, and federal officials.”

The open houses will provide the public with an opportunity to review the recently completed preliminary Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and its accompanying preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), which include base flood information and the identification of areas subject to flood hazards within the two counties. 

Local, state and federal officials will be present to provide the public with information about flood risk, flood insurance, floodplain development requirements and the process for floodplain mapping within Monroe and Itawamba and their incorporated communities. Once the preliminary FIRMs become effective, these maps will be used by floodplain permit officials, builders and developers, lenders, realtors, insurance agents and the general public to determine flood risk.

The preliminary maps for the counties are available for viewing at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality website.  The map for Monroe County can be viewed here, while the map for Itawamba County can be viewed here. 

Property owners, realtors, lenders, and insurance agents are encouraged to attend and take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about flood risk and hazard mitigation within their counties. 

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