FEMA has released the new flood maps for Skagit County. We are now a few days into a 90 day public review/comment period. As most of you know, and as so aptly described by one of our members, this is an octopus of an issue with many, many agencies, public and private, weighing in over many many years. There have been multiple and conflicting engineering studies that have been reviewed, rehashed and redigested. What should or can we as an Association do about this issue? There are many potential ramifications with the new maps - not just affecting individual residential property owners - but commercial and municiple property uses as well. Over the next few weeks, Washington Realtors and I feel it is important to really nail down the most serious impact points and express our support to those agencies that need it. I will be taking the temperature of the affected interests to determine who - if anyone - we as Realtors should stand behind. The county commissioners have made it clear that Skagit County as an entity will not take legal action against FEMA - and none of the government agencies nor the Realtor Association has the resources to take on a huge legal fight to have the maps changed. In the meantime, you can help by reviewing the maps on the link at the end of the email, informing your clients, both residential and commercial, that the maps are available and encouraging them to participate in the public hearings. Also - please let me know how you and your clients will be impacted and in what way so that we can garner as much information as possible for an appropriate response from NPSAR. Regardless of our what our official response will be in the end, we and our clients will be dealing with this and the most valuable thing we can do for them is keep them informed. Please feel free to call or email me if you have questions or comments about this issue - I very much look forward to hearing from you. Here is the link to the maps as posted on the City of Mount Vernon website: http://www.ci.mount-vernon.wa.us/homenews.asp_Q_homepageid=83 Best regards, Meredith Laws