Category: Flood Resiliency

Discounted elevation certificates for Lewisburg homeowners

Discounted elevation certificates for Lewisburg homeowners

Posted on by DNS Admin

Lewisburg homeowners who live in the 100-year floodplain can get discounted elevation certificates that can reduce their flood insurance costs.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) elevation certificates cost $700 for these homeowners. This is a discounted group price that SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) negotiated with Orangeville Surveying Consultants Inc. Without the discount, the rate can be as expensive as $2,000.

Residents must own and occupy their homes.

Geralee Zeigler, a program analyst in SEDA-COG’s Flood Resiliency program, explained how elevation certificates can reduce flood insurance premiums.

“Your insurance agent will use the elevation certificate to compare your building’s elevation to the Base Flood Elevation shown on the map being used for rating and determine the cost to cover your flood risk,” Zeigler said. “If the elevation certificate shows your property at a high elevation, it will lower your flood insurance cost.”

Zeigler said the certificates also can help when homeowners want to sell their homes.

“Not only can elevation certificates greatly reduce flood insurance premiums, they also make a home more attractive for buyers since the buyer will know where the house stands in relation to the floodplain and knowing they’ll have less of a flood insurance cost,” Zeigler said.

Interested homeowners can contact Zeigler at gzeigler@seda-cog.org or 570-524-4491 ext. 7218.

SEDA-COG’s Flood Resiliency Program offers services related to flood resiliency and mitigation assistance both within and outside of its 11-county region. Its goal is to help break the damage cycle and stop its drain on people and communities. For more information, visit https://seda-cog.org/departments/flood-resiliency/.

As a community and economic development agency, SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives. SEDA-COG also is an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels. For more information, visit www.seda-cog.org.

SEDA-COG staffer chosen as vice chair of state floodplain manager association

SEDA-COG staffer chosen as vice chair of state floodplain manager association

Posted on by DNS Admin

Teri Provost, director of SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) Flood Resiliency program, has been selected as vice chair of the Pennsylvania Association of State Floodplain Managers (PAFPM) board.

Provost’s board appointment is from January to December this year.

Having worked for SEDA-COG, a community and economic development agency for 11 central Pennsylvania counties, for over 14 years collectively, she aims to bring the agency’s regional approach and her experience to the board.

“I am extremely grateful and honored to be nominated and appointed to this position,” Provost said. “I look forward to bringing a broader approach to the board and to flood resiliency work across the state, while developing my flood manager expertise and rapport with industry peers.”

SEDA-COG Executive Director Kim Wheeler said Provost’s expertise will benefit the association and the region.

“SEDA-COG is pleased to have a member of our staff appointed to the board at PAFPM. Teri’s expertise in floodplain management and experience working within the varying scales of municipal and regional government in Pennsylvania will certainly offer great value to their mission. They are fortunate to have Teri join in this leadership capacity,” Wheeler said.

The association is a statewide organization of floodplain managers, engineers, planners, local, state, and federal officials, and water resource professionals whose purpose is to:

  • Promote public awareness of integrated floodplain management;
  • Promote a liaison and to encourage the exchange of ideas and information among individuals and groups concerned with floodplain management, and to keep those individuals and groups well informed through educational and professional seminars; and
  • Inform concerned individuals and groups of pending floodplain management legislation, regulation, and related matters to advance the effective implementation of floodplain management.

Provost has been a member of the association since 2018.

SEDA-COG’s Flood Resiliency program was established in 2019 in response to increasingly severe impacts of flooding. The program’s goal is to help break the flood damage cycle and stop its drain on people and communities. SEDA-COG offers services related to flood resiliency and mitigation assistance both within and outside of its 11-county region.

As a community and economic development agency, SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives. SEDA-COG also is an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels. For more information, visit www.seda-cog.org.

Discounted elevation certificates for Milton homeowners

Discounted elevation certificates for Milton homeowners

Posted on by DNS Admin

Milton homeowners who live in the 100-year floodplain (Zone AE) can get discounted elevation certificates that can reduce their flood insurance costs.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) elevation certificates cost $700 for these homeowners. This is a discounted group price that SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) negotiated with Orangeville Surveying Consultants Inc. Without the discount, the rate can be as expensive as $2,000.

Elevation certificates compare a structure’s elevation to the base flood elevation shown on the map being used for rating and determine the cost to cover flood risk. If the certificate shows the property at a high elevation, it will lower the flood insurance cost.

“The elevation certificate can be a useful tool when comparison shopping for flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) versus the private insurance market,” said Doug Diehl, Milton Borough’s zoning and code enforcement officer and floodplain manager. “You also can know the flooding frequency, history, and depths.”

Diehl said several local municipalities are involved in the Community Rating System (CRS). By meeting CRS requirements, a municipality can achieve a specific class designation which in turn gets the resident of that municipality an automatic flood insurance rate discount through the National Flood Insurance Program, which is not applicable to the privatized flood insurance market.

The group discount is available in Lewisburg and Selinsgrove for $700, and in Danville and Bloomsburg for $600. Interested Milton homeowners can contact Doug Diehl at 570-742-8759 or ddiehl@miltonpa.org or SEDA-COG’s Geralee Zeigler at 570-524-4491 ext. 7218 or gzeigler@seda-cog.org.

Homeowners in Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Danville, and Bloomsburg also may contact Zeigler for more information.

SEDA-COG’s Flood Resiliency Program offers services related to flood resiliency and mitigation assistance both within and outside of its 11-county region. Its goal is to help break the damage cycle and stop its drain on people and communities. For more information, visit https://seda-cog.org/departments/flood-resiliency/.

Lewisburg Homeowners: How will you prepare for the next flood?

Lewisburg Homeowners: How will you prepare for the next flood?

Posted on by DNS Admin

The time is now to prepare your flood-prone property by reducing risk and damages before the next flood. Investments in flood mitigation could lead to reduced flood insurance costs as well.

Lewisburg homeowners who live in the 100-year floodplain (Zone AE) are encouraged to secure an elevation certificate either through the SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) Flood Resiliency Program or a local engineering firm to help homeowners understand their risk.

SEDA-COG has negotiated a group rate through Orangeville Surveying Consulting Inc to complete elevation certificates that meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards. Interested homeowners can contact Geralee Zeigler at gzeigler@seda-cog.org or 570-524-4491 ext. 7218.

An Elevation Certificate is a valuable document. It records important features of the property, including its unique location within the floodplain and elevation of a building’s lowest floor. This certificate is used by insurance agents to determine flood insurance premiums and it is used by the Borough’s Codes Office to ensure that all new construction is located above the base flood elevation, thereby decreasing the amount of flood damage in the future. Elevation Certificates provide property owners the information necessary to help determine flood risk factors as well as options for insuring and mitigating the risk.

“Homeowners have many options for flood mitigation such as installing flood vents, raising their utilities above base flood elevation, elevating the home, and a variety of wet and dry floodproofing tactics. These mitigation measures help reduce the risk and damage of flooding if done in compliance with the floodplain ordinance standards and the information provided on an elevation certificate will help determine which measures are most appropriate for each unique situation,” said Kim Wheeler, Lewisburg Borough’s Special Project’s Coordinator.

SEDA-COG’s Flood Resiliency Program offers services related to flood resiliency and mitigation assistance both within and outside of its 11-county region. Its goal is to help break the damage cycle and stop its drain on people and communities. For more information, visit https://seda-cog.org/departments/flood-resiliency/.