State NFIP coordinator says proposed flood-map changes could require flood insurance in Princeville, Speed and parts of Tarboro

Steve Garrett, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety's state NFIP coordinator, told the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners on March 2 that preliminary FEMA flood-insurance-rate maps show areas behind levees in Princeville and Speed as inundated and that the agencies are beginning a process to remove provisional-accredited-levy (PAL) designations from some maps.

Garrett said the change is rooted in FEMA's mapping rules and the agency's mapping, assessment and planning (LAMP) process, and is "more of an administrative issue than really a physical issue." He warned, however, that removing a PAL can have practical consequences: "It will require mandatory purchase of flood insurance for any federally backed loans or mortgages," he said, adding that lenders may also impose requirements.

The presentation outlined a multi-step Risk MAP process and showed that 27 FEMA flood-insurance-rate map panels in the county were updated in the preliminary data. Garrett said FEMA finalized the LAMP procedures for non-accredited levee systems in 2013 and that the PAL designation for the local levees had expired in 2012. He also told the board that FEMA has recently told state partners it is delaying efforts to remove PAL designations nationally because of Department of Homeland Security and FEMA funding constraints.

Commissioners and members of the public pressed for clarification about financial and community impacts. "There is a possibility that having that area protected by levy gives us a false sense of security for the folks that live behind those areas," Garrett said, but he also stressed that maps reflect regulatory accreditation and do not necessarily mean the physical levee provides no protection.

Commissioner Thorn said the change "will be financially impactful" and noted the mapping standards under federal rules (Code of Federal Regulations Part 65) govern when a levee may be shown as providing protection. Several commissioners and residents said the preliminary changes could sharply raise insurance costs for homeowners and renters, with one board member noting examples in which premiums could quadruple, increasing monthly housing costs for tenants.

Public commenters and some commissioners framed the map change as a threat to historically minority and economically vulnerable communities in Princeville and Speed, asking what the county can do to respond. Garrett urged local officials to coordinate with FEMA once regional partners are available and suggested outreach to congressional delegations where appropriate. He also encouraged communities to use the preliminary data as "best available information" for planning and mitigation while FEMA pauses next steps.

Next steps: Garrett said the state is pausing post-preliminary tasks until FEMA issues further guidance. County officials said they will monitor updates, share FEMA links and contact congressional representatives to discuss potential program reforms and levy accreditation concerns.