Item P01RANKING MEMBER:
PLEASE RESPOND TO:
RAYRURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILMNG
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
216G
WASHINGTON, DC 20515-0918
http://foreigneffairs.house.gov/minority/republicans.htm
❑ (202) 226-3931
FA%: (202) 225-5620
httplAw .house.gov/rm-lehtinen
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Congregg of Mile Mniteb Otate-5
DISTRICT OFFICE:
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8660 W. FLAGLER STREET, I/131
$gouge of JRepreotnt4fibIto
MIAmi, FL 33144
El 1305) 22"281
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN
F":(305)228-3291
IUH DISTRICT, FLORIDA
MONROE COUNTY:
(305)304-7789
MIAMI BEACH AREAS:
May 15, 2008
(305) 934-9441
The Honorable H. Dale Hall
Director
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
Dear Director Hall:
I am writing to call your attention to a matter of great concern for many property
owners in my Congressional District of Monroe County.
In April of this year, the United States 1lth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2005
injunction that prohibits the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from
issuing flood insurance for new development in areas deemed sensitive habitats of eight
threatened and endangered species, including Key deer. I have been informed that
approximately 49,000 parcels of land are affected by this injunction.
As Representative whose district encompasses several federally protected areas and
a life-long defender of wildlife, i fully understand the need for protecting our critical
In
order to accomplish this goal, several Monroe County residents have put forth the
following recommendations, including but not limited to:
• Because the County's permitting process is —from an environmental
standpoint —the most rigorous one in the State of Florida, if not the nation,
properties that receive permission to build new structures should be
presumptively eligible for flood insurance. The County's regulations
already include a process whereby an opponent of a particular development
project could challenge the issuance of the building permit if it was thought
that the proposed project would harm the environment. Depending on the
nature dtf the proposed development, the process also includes oversight by
the Florida Department of Community Affairs, the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and your
agency.
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If there continues to be a list of properties ineligible for federally subsidized
flood insurance, there needs to be a comprehensive evaluation process of all
parcels deemed ineligible for development. According to Keys residents, all
determinations must be conducted by an independent biologist or relevant
scientific expert who physically surveys each property. It is the resident's
belief that "ground truthing" the properties in question would ensure the
most accurate determination.
wuaiue service surrogate neat week to discuss the concerns of my constituents in
further detail.
In accordance with all applicable rules and regulations, I ask that you give frill and
fair consideration to these requests. I appreciate your immediate attention to this important
matter and look forward to your response.
&htinen
Member of Congress