Judge halts FEMA program to protect endangered species in Keys

[DoYouEverWonder]

Sep 13, 7:39 PM EDT

MIAMI (AP) -- A federal judge has ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency to stop issuing flood insurance for new development in areas populated by endangered species in the Florida Keys.

U.S. District Court Judge Michael Moore's decision Tuesday means FEMA can't grant new flood insurance policies in endangered habitats until the agency complies with requirements of the Endangered Species Act.

"It's a first-ever ruling that prevents the federal government from subsidizing new development in an endangered species habitat with flood insurance," said John Kostyack, senior counsel for the National Wildlife Federation, and lead attorney for the three conservation groups that sued.

"We want to assure existing policy holders their flood insurance is not affected by this decision, they will continue being covered," FEMA spokesman Butch Kinerney said. FEMA currently has 33,732 flood insurance policies in Monroe County.

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_FEMA_DEER_LAWSUIT_FLOL-?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=state.shtml&CTIME=2005-09-13-19-39-49


Wow, another small but significant blow to FEMA.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. This aspect of it does not sound like bad news. ??

It's a first-ever ruling that prevents the federal government from subsidizing new development in an endangered species habitat with flood insurance,"

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. Yes, this is definitely good news for the Keys

seems someone found a very creative way to put a crimp in new developments down there.

[catzies]

6. First thought that crossed my mind too.

The less people that live in the Keys is what's best for the Keys.

Even though I grew up at Mile Marker 104 1/2. :hi:

[alarimer]

3. Why would they want to encourage development in these

areas anyway? One thing that has always bothered me about the flood insurance program is that it encourages develoment in areas that are extremely likely to be hit with a flood or hurricane or something. SSo why is FEMA in the business of issuing insurance for places that they will likely have to bail out at some point. We as a nation need to decide that some places DON"T NEED ANY MORE DEVELOPMENT? No more bailing out rich people. The people in New Orleans did not have flood insurance.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Lot's of money?

There is no room left in the Keys to do much of anything but more and more people want their little weekend retreat or summer place down there. The developers are more then happy to try to oblige them.

[krkaufman]

4. And a bizarrely positive baby step for the environment.

Methinks we have some activist judges to be scrapped.

[blindpig]

7. most excellent

and long overdue though to little to late for much of our coast. Hope this becomes a trend, perhaps a smidgeon of the SC Low Country can be saved from the ditching and bulldozer. As it currently exist this flood insurance is a subsidy to real estate developers, those poor people :sarcasm:.