Conflicting federal policies may cost residents more on flood insurance, and leave them at risk

An Associated Press review has found that thousands of people may be paying more for flood insurance or remain unaware of the dangers of dam failures because of conflicting federal policies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers a way for communities to earn discounts on flood insurance by taking steps to reduce risks. One option is to share information about places that could get inundated if a dam were to fail. But some federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Reclamation, have restricted the release of inundation maps for their dams. The bureau told the AP it plans to relax restrictions over the next eight years.