Jefferson Parish, La., to request 4 year delay in Biggert-Waters by Executive Order....

John Young requests 4-year delay in Biggert-Waters Act, by executive order

Jefferson Parish President John Young has advocated for change to the Biggert-Waters Act, which would result in flood-insurance rate hikes. (NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune archive)

By Adriane Quinlan, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

October 2, 2013

The government shutdown in Washington has halted Jefferson Parish President John Young's push to amend the Biggert-Waters Act, which would result in flood insurance hikes for millions of homeowners. But on Tuesday he asked the Jefferson Parish Council to approve a resolution that would request that President Barack Obama delay the act for four years.

Young said that amending the Biggert-Waters Act requires both administrative and legislative change. Due to the shutdown, that legislative change will be difficult to achieve, and a planned hearing on the issue next week could be delayed or cancelled due to the shut down. Young said the four-year delay would allow affected governments and other agencies the necessary time to find a permanent solution.

Last week, Gov. Bobby Jindal announced support of a push to delay by one-year the premium increases that would occur due to the act. Louisiana's congressional delegation asked for a one-year delay in the rate increases. 

The resolution before the Jefferson Parish Council is sponsored by Councilman Ricky Templet, whose district includes much of coastal Jefferson Parish. "This is a battle that continues to rage, and unfortunately with the shutdown, no one knows when the solution will come," Young said.

Young said that there is a consensus to amend the Biggert Waters Act between Gulf states, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the State and National Associations of Realtors, and other organizations from the real estate and banking industries. He said that Craig Fugate, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has acknowledged that there are problems with the act.

Congress approved the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act in 2012. The act included insurance hikes that were meant to improve the finances of the National Flood Insurance Program, after it went into debt after Hurricane Katrina.

Young said that an affordability study required before the passage of the act has not been started, and would not be completed until 2015.

"We've been very aggressive...we've come a long way," Young said. And in congress, "Right now there's no agreement about what day of the week it is."