FEMA denying flood assistance for properties with gas leases

The Scranton Times-Tribune reports that property owners with natural gas leases are no longer eligible for federal hazard mitigation assistance after a flood. The new policy, enacted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on May 5, has affected eight households in Pennsylvania in Wyoming and Lycoming Counties.

It means that FEMA will not buy out flood-prone properties or pay to assist raising or relocating homes and other structures if the owner has signed a lease with a developer.

http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2014/08/25/fema-no-flood-assistance-for-property-owners-with-natural-gas-leases/

http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1399305303712-dead5d326d8b3c2fc8c60e6fab5517fd/HMA-Subsurface-Uses-Policy-Final-5-5-2014.pdf

I bet this provokes some lawsuits. If FEMA wants to reject coverage due to having a gas lease, I would think they should be examining all of their policies and canceling them BEFORE a claim arises.