YARMOUTH – State Representative Tim Whelan (R-Brewster) said one of the biggest concerns he has heard from residents since taking office last month is over the new flood map demarcations that affect flood insurance put out by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
To address the issue, Whelan has organized two upcoming information sessions.
The federal Biggert-Waters Act requires residents in certain areas to buy flood insurance, which could put a financial strain on some citizens, Whelan said.
“Some of these people are going to lose their homes, and if you look at the snowball effect to the economy on the Cape, it’s frightening. We have to address this now,” said Whelan, who is co-sponsoring the sessions with Congressman William Keating’s office. Representatives from Keating’s office will be in attendance.
Whelan said he began receiving calls from constituents concerned about flood insurance regulations early on in his term. “We just thought that rather than try to handle this piecemeal that it would be best to put together a general information session and try and get as much information out there to the people in my district so that they’re empowered with that knowledge,” he said.
The two meetings will be held on March 6, with a session from 10 am to noon at Dennis Town Hall. An afternoon session will follow in Yarmouth from 1 to 3 pm at the Yarmouth Senior Center.
