Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon has denied a request by State Farm, the state’s largest home insurer, for an average 19.1% rate hike. He explained that “after an extensive review of the filing and consideration of multiple factors including data provided by State Farm, the rate revision was determined to be unreasonable.” He cited concerns […]
Archive | National
Small-Town Cape Cod Also Losing Beaches
Posted on February 10, 2010
Like California, eroding beaches on Cape Cod are threatening utilities, roads, and homes. (click on picture to watch video on NECN’s site). Erosion Concerns on Cape Cod (via NECN)
California Battles Disappearing Coastal Bluffs VIDEO
Posted on February 9, 2010
California struggles with bigger waves and falling homes. Click on the picture to head over to their site for the video. “Debate Emerges on How to Fight Coastal Erosion” via KGO-TV.
State Farm to Drop 125,000 Policies in Florida
Posted on February 4, 2010
Approximately 125,000 of State Farm’s “most vulnerable customers” in Florida should brace themselves to receive some potentially bad news: their policies with State Farm Insurance are being cancelled. MSNBC and others are reporting that State Farm Florida will be canceling policies for nearly a fifth of its clients, most of them in coastal areas. It […]
Case-Study: Freeboard Pays Off for Office/Condo
Posted on February 4, 2010
In 2008 a developer in North Dakota opted to spend an extra $2,000 to elevate a mixed business/condo structure 3 feet higher than the height required by the National Flood Insurance Program (i.e., he incorporated freeboard). “We realized the land was low-lying and we didn’t want to risk having the building flood,” he said. “Elevating […]
Community Threatens to Fine Homeowners Over Renourished-Beach Access
Posted on February 2, 2010
The New Jersey Star-Ledger has published a fascinating story about a barrier island community struggling with whether or not the Township can nourish private beaches within its jurisdiction without the blessing of its waterfront landowners. The debate, distilled into one paragraph: “Mayors want to keep beaches and dunes wide, attractive and safe. Waterfront homeowners balk […]
Two Communities on Two Coasts Move to Adapt to New Climates
Posted on February 1, 2010
Two new articles from two different areas on two different coasts. Both Neskowin, Oregon and the Norfolk-Virginia Beach metropolitan area are working to move beyond debating a changing climate to discussing what they’re going to do about it. Neskowin: a community with a disappearing beach An article in OregonLive describes how this small community (population […]
Louisiana to Spend $600 Million on Coastal Restoration and Levees?
Posted on January 29, 2010
The Times-Picayune is reporting that Louisiana expects to spend $600 million of state money on levee, coastal restoration and coastal infrastructure projects in fiscal year 2011, according to a draft report released on Wednesday. For the first time in its three-year history, would spend the most money on coastal restoration projects. According to the article, […]
FEMA Grants Conference Call—February 5
Posted on January 28, 2010
A friend just passed this announcement our way: The DHS Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives would like to connect you to some of our colleagues in FEMA and share information on specific grant programs to strengthen your resilience against hazards. The call will provide an overview of four programs: Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) […]
Louisiana Pumps ~$77 Million into Wetland Restoration
Posted on January 26, 2010
Governor Bobby Jindal announced more than $77 million in projects last Wednesday that aim to help protect and curb the rapid erosion of Terrebonne and Lafourche’s coastal wetlands, bringing the state’s total 2-year investment in coastal restoration and hurricane and flood protection projects to $660 million (the total includes state and federal funds). Photo by […]