"Conflicting federal policies may force thousands of residents in flood-prone areas to pay more for flood insurance or be left unaware of danger posed by dams built upstream from their homes and worksites, according to an Associated Press review of federal records and data.

The problem stems from a complex set of flood policies and some national security precautions taken after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

To get the best discount on flood insurance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s points-based rating system requires communities to chart all the homes, businesses and critical facilities endangered by a potential dam failure and warn people of their risk. But that’s difficult or even impossible in some communities, because other federal agencies restrict the release of such information for hundreds of dams that they own or regulate across the U.S., citing security risks."

David A. Lieb reports for the Associated Press August 24, 2024. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Takeaways From AP’s Report On Federal Policies Shielding Information About Potential Dam Failures" (AP) [3]

"A Dam Fails After Rain, Wind, Tornadoes Pound The Midwest. The Chicago Area Is Cleaning Up" (AP) [4]

"Vermont Floods Raise Concerns About Future Of State’s Hundreds Of Aging Dams" (AP) [5]