ARBC RESPONSE TO FEMA'S COMITE PROJECT TIMELINE

May 1, 2025|Press Releases

Baton Rouge, LA – Amite River Basin Commission (ARBC) President John Clark reacted today to FEMA Region VI Administrator George Robinson’s letter to Sen. Regina Barrow of the Comite Diversion Project Committee Task Force, in which he detailed his agency’s timeline estimate of Comite Diversion Canal completion and accompanying flood map revisions. 

According to FEMA, the project is expected to reach a major construction milestone by Spring 2027, which would trigger a formal map update process reflecting reduced flood risk in affected areas. Preliminary flood map revisions could be issued by Summer 2027, with final maps taking effect by Winter 2027–2028. These updates could significantly lower flood insurance premiums for thousands of residents. FEMA’s letter is the first time a federal voice has articulated such a timeline. 

“Comite clarity has been elusive for folks in the Basin. FEMA’s comments shine much-needed light,” said Clark. “FEMA estimates that the Comite Project will be completed in late 2028 – something we’ve been saying – and that revised flood maps will begin in 2027,” said Clark. “People in the Basin are eager to see these dates accelerated. We agree. That’s why we’re already advancing projects that protect lives and property today – not just years from now.”

Clark also noted that ARBC’s forthcoming Master Plan will identify additional strategies to reduce or eliminate flood zone designations for 30,000 homes, potentially resulting in $25 million in annual savings in insurance costs.

In the meantime, ARBC and its parish partners are moving forward with more than $100 million in active flood mitigation efforts, including:

• Upper Amite Flood Risk Reduction & Restoration (Livingston, St. Helena, East Feliciana) – Enhancing floodplain storage, reducing sediment, and restoring habitat.

• Bayou Manchac Flood Risk Reduction (East Baton Rouge, Ascension, Iberville) – Clearing sediment, realigning Ward Creek, and replacing the Perkins Road Bridge.

• New River Pump Station (Ascension) – Diverting floodwaters to the Mississippi via new channels and pump infrastructure.

• Lower Amite Channel Restoration (Livingston) – Improving drainage by removing sediment buildup.

• St. James Connector Levee (St. James) – Bolstering flood protection in coordination with the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain system.

FEMA’s “A-99” designation, used when major flood control projects pass the halfway mark, allows early access to lower insurance rates. This is made official through a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR)—a FEMA tool to update flood maps based on new infrastructure.

Click here for full versions of FEMA’s letter and the Comite construction schedule.