Hammond hears update on FEMA map revision that could remove large areas from flood zone

The Hammond City Council on Jan. 14 heard a status report from Principal Engineering on a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in November 2024 that would revise local flood insurance rate maps.

Andre Monot, a project engineer with Principal Engineering, told the council the objective was “to revise the flood insurance rate maps within the study area to adjust the base flood elevation,” adding that the goal is to make the maps “better represent physical reality.” He said the firm’s modeling and mapping propose removing some currently mapped special flood hazard areas and tightening limits in other locations.

The change would be material for property owners. Monot explained that LOMRs change where the National Flood Insurance Program requires or recommends flood insurance by altering mapped base flood elevations and the delineation of the special flood hazard area. “The blue shading is the flood zone,” he said while showing the map, and described green zones the team recommends retaining as flood hazard areas and…