Wilkes-Barre City Notified of Recommended Levee System Accreditation by Army Corps of Engineers

The City has received notice that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has completed the Semi-Qualitative Risk Assessments (SQRA) for the Wilkes-Barre City - Hanover Township levee system.  The USACE has now recommended that the levee system be accredited for FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  The recommended accreditation was the result of an appeal by the City of Wilkes-Barre, the adjoining municipalities, and the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority, of an initial negative assessment, which would have precipitated significant increases in City property flood insurance premiums. The USACE recommendation is a major step in achieving the City’s goal of obtaining full levee accreditation on the Wilkes-Barre City – Hanover Township levee system.  As Mayor, I am fully committed to achieving complete accreditation to assure no city resident faces the financial burden of increases in already costly flood insurance premiums.