FEMA posted the beginning of the 90-day comment period for the proposed floodmaps for Monroe County. The agency is required to post notice of commencement in the Federal Register, and you can read the full notice here. The comment period ends March 22, 2021.
This posting does not indicate the beginning of the appeal period, but just that FEMA is now accepting comments on the proposed new maps. FIRM recommends that folks review the maps for incorrect road names and similar discrepancies, not comments about technical issues. You can view the Key West maps on the City’s website here and for the rest of the County on Monroe County’s website. Direct comments to your local floodplain management office.
In the near future, local government officials will receive letters that will give the dates of the actual appeal period where technical issues discovered in the analyses can be presented to FEMA.
Monroe County and the municipalities have been working with consultants from Woods Hole Group and Ransom Consulting to analyze FEMA’s data. FIRM is working closely with the the City of Key West on its analysis. Work completed to date has resulted in the identification of discrepancies in FEMA’s modeling and assumptions, which will likely form the basis for possible appeal.