There’s no need to worry about mandatory federal flood insurance in Manteca or Lathrop - at least for the foreseeable future.

Congress is scheduled to vote today on the extension of the federal flood insurance program without the provision that property within residual risk areas would be placed under mandatory coverage stricken.

 “This is great news for Manteca,” said Manteca councilman Steve DeDrum who - along with council member Debby Moorhead - lobbied during a trip to Washington., D.C. in April to have the requirement drop. “This will save Manteca homeowners and businesses untold millions.”

The U.S. Senate inserted a residual risk provision in the reauthorization bill for the National Flood Insurance Program. It would have required all businesses and residents in cities such as Manteca, Lathrop, and possibly even Ripon that are protected by levees and dams where a 100-year flood is possible if they fail to buy federal flood insurance. It would also have  covered all rural areas around the three cities.

The residual risk area addressed not just areas protected by levees but communities in the path of any potential dam failure such as New Melones Reservoir.

DeBrum and Moorhead worked with valley representatives to have the residual risk provision dropped from the House version. A joint committee of Congress dropped the residual requirement Thursday before sending the measure back to both houses as part of the student loan rate and transportation bills.

DeBrum previously made references to homeowners near Fresno who were informed by the federal government that they owed “$2,600 now” for mandatory yearly flood insurance premiums. He was referring to the community of Riverdale that is miles from the San Joaquin River and has no history of flooding.

Under the proposal, Manteca would have been designated either as a low to moderate risk or a high risk.

For a typical house in a zone designated as low to moderate risk, with a structure value of $250,000 and a content value of $100,000, the owner might only pay $500 for an annual premium.

If all 15,000 parcels in Manteca were assessed $500 it would equal an annual flood insurance payment of $7.5 million

If not, and if that house is placed into a high-risk zone the same level of insurance — which would become mandatory might cost $2,766.

The higher the value of the property, the higher the annual insurance premiums.

Van Scoyoc Associates - the city’s lobbying firm - worked with Congressman Dennis Cardoza to draft and win a floor amendment in the House of Representatives that struck the residual risk provision.

Flood insurance is not now required in Manteca. And even if levees did fail, only the southwest portion of Manteca as far east as Sierra High and north along Airport Way would flood based on historic data and the fall of the land. Under the Senate language that was stricken the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could include all sections of a city such as Manteca even though only a part has a potential risk in order to generate revenue to pay off future claims.

Current federal law does not require homes and businesses behind federally-certified levees and dams to purchase flood insurance nor are they subject to building restrictions.

The Senate language - had it been adopted - would of imposed severe building restrictions on Manteca and many other valley cities.