"It is important that Plaquemines Parish residents and business owners get this information as quickly as possible. We encourage everyone to attend the public meeting and hear from FEMA to determine what these new elevations will mean for the people of our parish," said Plaquemines Parish President Nungesser.

The guidance is a follow-up to assist the Louisiana coastal communities in making prudent rebuilding decisions during recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. FEMA released Flood Recovery Guidance documents, which include ABFEs, on April 12, 2006, for Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard parishes and portions of Plaquemines and St. Charles parishes in southern Louisiana. These ABFEs provide communities critical engineering data to make their communities safer and stronger during the rebuilding process.

In the newly released guidance, FEMA recommends new construction and substantially damaged homes and businesses to elevate 8 to18 feet if they are within the interior levee areas of southern Plaquemines Parish. Individuals who have secured building permits before the adoption of the ABFEs for southern Plaquemines Parish are not required to rebuild their property to the new elevation.

"FEMA’s goal is to help states and local communities make the best decisions as the recovery continues," said Jim Stark, director of Louisiana’s Transitional Recovery Office. "The guidance provides specific information communities need to rebuild safer and stronger."

Colonel Thomas Kirkpatrick, Louisiana State Coordinating Officer, on behalf of Plaquemines Parish and the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, requested that FEMA issue ABFEs for southern Plaquemines Parish.

"Without the establishment of ABFEs, the parish government and local floodplain manager are left to make decisions without all possible rebuilding information," said Kirkpatrick.

The Advisory Base Flood Elevation Mapping was created to provide communities with more accurate and up-to-date flood hazard data. The mapping serves to assist state and local officials and those rebuilding in making decisions on how to reconstruct to help minimize vulnerability to future flood events.

The release of this mapping is for advisory purposes and will not increase flood insurance premiums or flood insurance requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program.