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County moves to seek more time on FEMA BiOp/NFIP integration; chair authorized to sign comment letter
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Summary
The board directed staff to draft and submit a comment requesting more time on FEMA's proposed integration of an Endangered Species Act biological opinion into the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and delegated authority to the board chair to sign the letter before the Oct. 6 deadline.
Crook County commissioners discussed FEMA’s proposed biological opinion (BiOp) integrating Endangered Species Act protections into the National Flood Insurance Program and agreed to seek more time for comment and weigh recommending the ‘no action’ alternative.
Why it matters: County planning staff and a county planner who attended regional briefings warned that FEMA’s BiOp could require significant additional mitigation for any “development” within mapped special flood hazard areas — potentially including structures, driveways, tree removal, and earthwork. Commissioners noted the county has much less mapped floodplain area than some coastal jurisdictions, but staff said FEMA’s mitigation prescriptions could still make many standard projects infeasible or uneconomic in mapped reaches.
County planning staff recommended submitting process‑specific comments and expressed support for the no‑action alternative (alternative 1) or asking FEMA for more time. Staff described practical mitigation examples FEMA presented (for example, off‑site mitigation that could require many dump‑truck loads of material per small project and planting ratios for removed trees that may not be feasible in local reaches).
After discussion the board voted to delegate authority to the board chair to sign a short letter requesting more time to provide comments and noting concerns about the proposal. A commissioner moved that Brian, as board chair, be authorized to sign the letter; the motion was seconded and passed. The board also directed community development staff to draft a separate, technical comment recommending the no‑action alternative and examples of process‑specific suggestions.
Outcome: Motion carried to delegate authority to the chair to sign a letter asking FEMA for more time before implementation; community development staff will prepare a technical comment recommending alternative 1 (no action) and submit materials by the Oct. 6 public comment deadline if possible.
Ending: Staff will draft both the chair’s short request for more time and a technical county comment recommending no action or further refinements; the chair was delegated signature authority so the letter can be filed before the Oct. 6 deadline.
