SAN ANTONIO, TX – San Antonio River Authority (SARA) received confirmation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that the beginning of the 90-day appeal/protest period of the updated Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) began on July 2, 2008. It is during this time that all residents and officials of Karnes County can either protest or appeal the DFIRM floodplain delineations. Protest and appeal forms and any necessary supporting data will need to be mailed to SARA to be acknowledged as received and identified on the appropriate DFIRMs.

Flooding is one of Karnes County’s most costly natural disasters and the modernization of outdated flood maps represents an important step toward increasing public safety by equipping officials, emergency responders and citizens with better information to reduce the threat to life and property.

"As a Cooperating Technical Partner with FEMA, the San Antonio River Authority took on the responsibility of managing the Karnes County Map Modernization program," said Nefi Garza, Manager of SARA’s Watershed Management Department. "SARA will remain as the local point of contact now that the new draft DFIRMs are ready for public comment throughout this 90-day protest and appeals process."

Once the appeal/protest period ends on September 30, 2008, the documented protests and appeals will be sent to FEMA for review. At this time, FEMA may require additional information for specific protests or appeals which will be handled through direct communication from FEMA and the appropriate party. FEMA will evaluate all protests and appeals and provide SARA all the comments that need to be addressed. SARA will then take all the comments received from FEMA and make all the necessary updates to the DFIRM’s; Letter of Map Revisions (LOMR’s) approved after December 2007 will be incorporated into the DFIRMs at this time.

Depending on the amount of comments and LOMR’s received from FEMA, it may take SARA from one month to a year to complete the DFIRM updates. Once the revisions have been incorporated, FEMA will notify the community (i.e. Karnes County) in writing that all the changes are complete and the DFIRM’s are ready for adoption. This Letter of Final Determination (LFD) will notify communities and all appellants that any and all protests and appeals have been resolved and that the Base Flood Elevations (BFE’s) are considered final. The LFD also initiates a compliance period, which is usually 6 months. It is during this time that each community must begin an ordinance review and update period. To become "official", the DFIRMs must be accepted by ordinance by each community; communities must accept the final DFIRMs if they intend to remain in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It is anticipated that this entire process will be complete and the final report and DFIRMs will become effective in late 2009.

To further assist residents in Karnes County, SARA has set up www.SaraFloodFacts.org to be used to view the proposed DFIRMs for property throughout the County and to access protest and appeal forms. A public meeting date for Karnes County is currently being planned and will be announced soon. The meeting will provide information about the creation of the DFIRMs and how the new maps will affect residents and property. For those seeking additional protest and appeal information or needing assistance viewing the maps, contact 210-302-3630 or toll-free 1-866-345-SARA. All protests and appeals should be mailed to:

San Antonio River Authority

ATTN: Watershed Management

Protest & Appeals

100 E. Guenther St.

San Antonio, Texas 78204