National Highlights
FMA Members receive monthly and quarterly updates on national highlights and local developments. Become a member today to stay current with flood risk and floodplain management policy and practice!
FEMA PROPOSED LEVEE APPROACH
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is pleased to announce an opportunity for the public and interested stakeholders to provide feedback regarding the new levee analysis and mapping approach for non-accredited levees FEMA has developed. Starting on December 15, 2011 the public will have 45 days to provide comments regarding this new approach. The “Public Review and Comment” period is being posted through the Federal Register, which is a formal Federal process for receiving, managing, considering, and incorporating accepted comments.
To provide comments on the new approach, please visit the Federal Register - Levee Approach and download a copy of the “Revised Analysis and Mapping Procedures for Non-Accredited Levees: Proposed Approach for Public Review.” Alternatively, you can visit the website, search “FEMA-2011-0025,” and download the document. Follow the directions provided on how to submit comments through the website or submit comments here. Note that comments must be received through one of these channels in order to be considered for incorporation into the approach.
In addition to the Public Review documents being made available online, FEMA will hold three 90-minute online public webinars to present the approach and answer clarifying questions. Participation is limited to 300 guests for each webinar and invitations will be extended on a first come, first serve basis. The dates and contact information for reserving your spot for one of the webinars will take place as described in the Federal Register notice. For more information on the background and development of the new approach, visit here.
FEMA ANNOUNCES UPDATES TO THEIR REGULATORY PRODUCT STANDARDS
Appendix K: Format and Standards for Flood Insurance Rate Maps; Appendix L: Guidance for Preparing Digital Data and FIRM Databases and Procedure Memorandum 66: Flood Insurance Study Report Alignment to Digital Vision: Together these three documents provide standards and guidance necessary to help us devleop comprehensive FIRM Databases and efficiently produce the common regulatory products (FIRM and FIS) that are derived from it. See this document for an overview of the changes to these regulatory products. Studies initiated in FY 2012 onward will be required to adopt these standards. These standards may be adopted for studies initiated in fiscal years prior to FY 2012.
NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON LEVEE SAFETY LAUNCHES NEW WEB SITE
On the new web site, you can: learn about the recommendations for a National Levee Safety Program and the current status of recommendations; read the latest Levee Safety Connections newsletter; test your levee IQ; and broaden your understanding of levee safety in the United States today. Explore links and web sites related to levee safety activities occurring in the US and abroad. Also, sign up for the levee newsletter and updates here.
USACE SEEKS COMMENTS ON LEVEE SAFETY SCREENING PROCESS
The Corps of Engineers is looking for the best way to incorporate participation of sponsors of Federally Authorized-Locally Operated and Maintained levee systems and owners of non-Federal levee systems during the levee screening, national roll-up, and at the LSOG. Comments due August 25. Click here for the invitation. Click here for process diagram.
HOUSE PASSES HR1309
The House of Representatives passed HR 1309, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011, by a margin of 406-22. If passed by the Senate and signed by the President, the bill would extend the NFIP through September 2016. It also contains significant reforms to the NFIP including a delay in the mandatory purchase for properties newly mapping into the SFHA and a requirement for FEMA to adopt new flood mapping protocols which are yet to be determined. The Senate is considering its own version of NFIP Reform. Since the NFIP is currently only authorized through the end September, 2011, there is pressure for Congress to take action in order to avoid another lapse in the Program.
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BRIEFING ON OPERATION WATERSHED 2011 here.
FEMA ADMINISTRATOR AGREES TO COCHRAN & WICKER REQUEST TO END “WITHOUT LEVEE” ANALYSIS IN NEW FLOOD MAPS
Agency to Account for Existing Levees, Flood Control Structures in Assessing Risks. Please see news release here.
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION ANNOUNCES WaterSMART FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES View complete announcement here.
USACE CONDUCTS LISTENING SESSION AT FMA CONFERENCE
The US Army Corps of Engineers conducted a listening session for the Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force at the Floodplain Management Association (FMA) Annual Conference on 5 November 2010. The audience of 25 people consisted primarily of members of FMA from California, Nevada, and Hawaii, as well as a few invited guests. The members of FMA were primarily engineers and employees of private consulting companies, state and local government agencies, and USACE District offices. The report is available here.
FEMA EXTENDS LOWER COST FLOOD INSURANCE OPTION TO ELIGIBLE PROPERTY OWNERS IN HIGH-RISK FLOOD AREAS
Thousands who own homes and businesses in locations recently designated as high-risk flood areas will soon have a new way to save on flood insurance protection. Beginning January 1, 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is offering a new insurance rating option that will allow many property owners to take advantage of lower-cost flood insurance for two years before they are required to pay standard rates. The program will make Preferred Risk Policies (PRPs), which start at just $129 a year and are typically only available for properties in moderate-to-low risk areas, available for properties that have been newly mapped into high-risk areas due to a flood map revision on or after October 1, 2008. Information can be found on FEMA's mapping website or through a community's floodplain administrator. Property owners in communities that have received flood map updates since October 1, 2008 should contact their insurance agent for further details. Additional information can also be found here or by calling the NFIP Help Center at 1-800-427-4661.
FEMA GUIDANCE FOR REVIEW OF LEVEE ACCREDITATION SUBMITTALS
In accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations, communities or other parties seeking recognition of a levee system as providing protection on NFIP maps must provide data and documentation demonstrating compliance with regulations set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at Title 44, Chapter 1, Section 65.10 (44 CFR Section 65.10). Once compliance with 44 CFR Section 65.10 is demonstrated, the levee system will be accredited on NFIP maps, reflecting the appropriate risk zones for levee-impacted areas. FEMA has seen an increase in the number of accreditation request submittals and has prepared guidance to improve and clarify the process of review for compliance with 44 CFR Section 65.10, and has prepared Procedure Memorandum No. 63. These reviews must be consistent for all accreditation submittals including, but not limited to new and continued accreditation requests as part of a mapping project, requests submitted as Letters of Map Change (LOMCs), Physical Map Revisions (PMRs), and Provisionally Accredited Levees (PALs). To download a copy of this Memorandum, click here.
CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS VOICE CONCERNS OVER CORPS VEGETATION POLICY
In a letter dated December 6, 2010 to Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant Secretary of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, seventeen Congressional Members from California expressed concern over the Corp's levee vegetation policy. The letter highlights that removing vegetation from federal levees in the State has the potential to significantly alter ecosystems, place a large financial burden on California's struggling economy, and adversely impacts public safety. It further emphasizes that the vegetation policy is in conflict with federal endangered species regulations. The letter requests that the Corps work with local and state officials to develop a balanced approach to ensure public safety and environmental preservation. Read Page 1 and Page 2 of this letter.
NATIONAL REPORT: RESPONDING TO NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES CHALLENGES
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released this report which presents the results of the two-year long "Building Strong Collaborative Relationships for a Sustainable Water Resources Future" project. The input through surveys, shared documents, interviews, and conferences helped develop a set of recommendations to move toward advancing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). More information is available at this link.
NATIONAL OCEAN POLICY TASK FORCE REPORT
The White House Council on Environmental Quality just announced the release of the final report of the President's Ocean Policy Task Force which establishes the country's first comprehensive national policy for the stewardship of the oceans, our coasts and the Great Lakes. This national policy will set the United States on a new path toward comprehensively planning for the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean. Americans want clean beaches, abundant seafood and wildlife, a robust economy and jobs and recreational opportunities from our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes areas. This National Policy provides a lasting foundation to help achieve these. Please see the Press Release here. Full report can be found here.
FEMA REVISES PREFERRED RISK POLICIES FOR HOMEOWNERS
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is revising its Preferred Risk Policy under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to extend eligibility an additional year. Effective January 1, owners of buildings found to be in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) during a flood map revision, may be eligible for a preferred risk policy that will allow them to maintain a lower cost flood insurance policy for two years following the effective date of a flood map change. Read full press release here.
UPDATED PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES FOR WATER AND LAND RELATED RESOURCES IMPLEMENTATION STUDIES
The White House Council on Environmental Quality released a proposal to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) for their review that would significantly change the principles and guidelines that govern America's water resource planning. The proposal would require that such projects help to improve the economic well-being of the Nation for present and future generations, better protect communities from the effects of floods and storms, help communities and individuals make better choices about where to build based on an understanding of the risk, and protect and restore the environment. The NAS review is expected to be completed by November 2010. Additionally, CEQ is taking public comment on the new draft Principles and Guidelines for 90 days. For more information, go here.