DENVER – Grand County has been approved to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. Approval was granted by FEMA on April 29 following the county’s adoption of floodplain management ordinances and formal request to join the program.
By joining the program, residents and businesses in unincorporated areas of Grand County are now eligible to purchase federally-backed flood insurance. As part of the requirements for joining the program, the county has adopted floodplain management regulations for new development in identified floodplains. These actions promote public safety and help to limit the financial impacts of future flooding events.
”We’d like to welcome Grand County into the National Flood Insurance Program,” said FEMA Region 8 Mitigation Division Director Jeanine Petterson. “This demonstrates a commitment to managed floodplain development and will result in many benefits, including increased resiliency for the county and its residents.”
There are now 255 participating communities in Colorado. The term participating communities refers to any governmental jurisdiction that has oversight for building and development, and can include counties, cities, towns, and tribal nations.
While flood insurance policies can now be purchased, there is typically a 30-day waiting period before they go into effect. Contact your local insurance agent to purchase a policy or visit www.floodsmart.gov for more information.