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What's The Future Of The National Flood Insurance Program?

WLRN Public Media | By Jessica Bakeman,

Alexander Gonzalez

Published December 20, 2019 at 6:51 PM EST

Congress has passed two spending bills to fund the federal government. President Donald Trump is expected to sign them, avoiding a shutdown.

One provision in those bills is a reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program. With the president's approval, the program will be extended through Sept. 30, 2020.

While the insurance program will continue for now, its future is in jeopardy: It's more than $20 billion in debt. Premiums are too low, and there are people who probably should be paying into the pool who aren’t.

The South Florida Roundup delved into the issue. Host Jessica Bakeman talked about where NFIP now stands with Tom Frank, who covers the environment for E&E News, and WLRN’s environmental reporter Jenny Staletovich.

Copyright 2020 WLRN 91.3 FM. To see more, visit WLRN 91.3 FM.

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Flood Insurance Flooding Local

Jessica Bakeman

Jessica Bakeman reports on K-12 and higher education for WLRN, south Florida's NPR affiliate. While new to Miami and public radio, Jessica is a seasoned journalist who has covered education policymaking and politics in three state capitals: Jackson, Miss.; Albany, N.Y.; and, most recently, Tallahassee.

See stories by Jessica Bakeman

Alexander Gonzalez

Alexander Gonzalez is a recent graduate of the University of Miami. He majored in English and was the the editor-in-chief of The Miami Hurricane newspaper from 2014-15. He was WLRN's digital intern during summer 2015. He subscribes to too many podcasts and can't get away from covering the arts in Miami.

See stories by Alexander Gonzalez

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