Visitors, be sure to look at the insightful comments - links are on the right.
Ann makes the hilarious analogy between the Midland Shooters Association board of directors' attitude of "Problem? What problem?" and the former Iraqi information minister's inability to see the U.S. Marines until they were coiling up his microphone cord. Hmmmm. Carrying this analogy forward, maybe a "regime change" might be the next logical step.
Redman suggests the possibility that FEMA's effort to redraw the nation's flood maps might be another example of bureaucratic make-work. According to the article, FEMA selected Michael Baker Corp. to do the work, and the total cost is expected to be $1 billion. And, according to the article, the National Weather Service estimated flood related property damage is currently around $6 billion a year compared with around $3.3 billion a year in the 1980s. FEMA collects insurance premiums, but I don't believe those premiums are enough to equal the out flow for insured flood claims. So, a more accurate map might help to balance the outflow with the inflow of money and thus help the tax payers a little bit. Some people will end up buying flood insurance for the first time, so for their sake I'm sure we all hope that the new map will be accurate.
Eric made the observation that development along loop 250 in Midland could possibly result in a broadening of the flood zones in that area if the new drainage ditch doesn't provide for adequate rain water runoff. He noted that it's a toss up. I hope the ditch works, but we'll just have to wait for the rains and see what happens. Some regulatory agency probably approved the construction conditioned on the improvement of the drainage ditch, so it would really be a bad situation if the new flood map suggests that the ditch would fail to do it's job.
Update:
Another Eric may have provided the answer. He informs us that the Midland's Flood Insurance Rate Maps were last revised in December of 1999, and that a developer has to demonstrate that any new development will not increase the 100 year flood plain. Very informative!
Thanks to everyone for the insightful comments.
Gosh I love Midland!
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