Sept. 23 NWC Boston Yes We Can! (We already have in Texas)

Sept. 23 NWC Boston Forbes: Fort Bend County No. 1 in Job Growth Fort Bend County takes top spot in Forbes Magazine’s list of “Best Places to Get Ahead.” Home to 3 of top 10 best selling MPC in USA Fort Bend County Texas – Who We Are

Sept. 23 NWC Boston Fort Bend County Texas – Who We Are

Sept. 23 NWC Boston Fort Bend County Texas - LID # 2 Location Houston Sugar Land FBC LID # 2 FBC LID #2 protects:  Over $4 billion of property & assets  Major portions of Sugar Land  First Colony - 10,000 homes  Sugar Land Town Square  Multiple hospitals  Major retail & business centers  Critical transportation arteries FBC LID #2 protects:  About $4 billion of property & assets  First Colony MPC - 10,000 homes  Sugar Land Town Square  Multiple hospitals  Major retail & business centers  Critical transportation arteries  All done without Federal help

Sept. 23 NWC Boston Draft of Sugar Land Flood Map Flood Plain Management

Sept. 23 NWC Boston Reality of Levee Failures Flood Plain Management

Sept. 23 NWC Boston General Manager Construction Management Engineering Operations & Maintenance Legal Communications Tax Collection Bookkeeping Accounting District Management Utilizing Outside Resources FBC LID #2 Appointed Board of Directors Elected Commissioners Court Fort Bend County LID # 2 Organization

Sept. 23 NWC Boston  Remapping the County (Map Modernization)  FEMA’s Schedule  LEVEE DE-ACCREDITATION... LOOMING!  Levee Improvements... NOW! The Machine” Model Review Design & Construction 30 Miles Raised/10 Miles New Levees ($40 Million of LOCAL funds... NO Fed funds)  RE-CERTIFICATIONS ACCEPTED BY FEMA!  Re-accreditation pending FEMA release of maps to Today

2010 Sept. 23 NWC Boston 9  881 Counties Nationwide with Levees  41 Flood Control Entities in Fort Bend County  16 Levee Improvement Districts  Creation of NFIP & Availability of Flood Insurance

2010 Sept. 23 NWC Boston 10 ♦ NFIP is in debt from Storm Losses ♦ NFIP Expired September 2008 ♦ NFIP Extended by Continuing Resolution through February 2010 and then through May 2010 and again until September 30 ♦ Senate took action 9/21 to extend to 2011 NFIP Needs to Change

2010 Sept. 23 NWC Boston 11 NFIP Needs to Change ♦ NFIP has 5.6 million policies currently ♦ NFIP wants to raise rates and make insurance mandatory behind Levees and other structures. ♦ NFIP needs to sell more policies to recover ♦ Most floods occur in Zone X

Sept. 23 NWC Boston Risk Maps  NEW Risk Map Program for Flood Risk Assessment  M ap  A ssessment  P lanning  Stricter Regulations Coming o More Inspections o More STRINGENT Inspections Flood Plain Management

Sept. 23 NWC Boston Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)  WRDA 2010 Eminent  NEW Environmental Priorities  Increased Funding for Water Infrastructure  Renewed Emphasis on ”Natural Rivers”  ”Right the Wrongs” of the Past... ??? Flood Plain Management

Sept. 23 NWC Boston  EPA has declared war on stormwater management agencies – “Stop whining and start performing... “  Some of those affected believe regulations are ahead of the ability of agencies to perform  No scientifically significant data exists on impact of Low Impact Development (LID) standards  EPA has no plans to fund any studies other than small pilot projects, i.e. rain gardens with no long term data - hidden negatives are popping up... they say JUST DO IT MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems) Levee Improvement Districts (LIDs) are “Phase 2” Permit Holders EPA & Stormwater Management

Sept. 23 NWC Boston EPA wants Low Impact Development & Flood Plain Interface  Look at stormwater as a RESOURCE & NOT WASTE  NFIP is NOT meeting need of Endangered Species Act  We are enabling flood plain development that is hurting ecosystem – ”Pipes & Ponds” approach no longer feasible  Green Infrastructure Action Strategy - 80 national groups have signed statement of support  Created Green Infrastructure Web Site  Is Climate Change Real? Stormwater Management

Sept. 23 NWC Boston EPA wants Low Impact Development & Flood Plain Interface LID Is REAL (Doesn’t Mean Levee Improvement District)  Is 95% Retention Possible? Mandated for New Development Probable for Redevelopment Possible for Retrofitting Existing Development  On site capture and detention necessary  Eliminate curbs and gutters Stormwater Management

Sept. 23 NWC Boston  One Size Does NOT Fit All  Different Residual Risks for Different Systems  Key Elements Affecting Residual Risk  Level of Protection  Maintenance Standards  Management  Financing  More Local Responsibility Required The Bottom Line

Sept. 23 NWC Boston  Consistent Design Standards  Consistent Operation & Maintenance Standards  Accurate Mapping of Flood Risk Areas  Reasonable Time for Improvement Implementation  More interaction between Corps & FEMA  Local Sponsor (Community) Purchases Policy  National Levee Initiative Tomorrow – Moving Forward!!

Sept. 23 NWC Boston “Without flood control, nothing else matters... “ Association of Levee Boards of Louisiana Flood Control Summary Contact Information: André McDonald President of Fort Bend County LID #2