Proposed Rule2023-21093
FEMA Proposed Policy: Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS)
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 2, 2023
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentFederal Emergency Management Agency
Abstract
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting comments on the proposed FEMA policy, Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS). This proposed policy would provide detail, consistent with applicable regulations, on applicability, processes, resources, and responsibilities for implementing the FFRMS as part of FEMA's 8- step decision making process for carrying out the directives of Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management, as amended.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 189 (Monday, October 2, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 189 (Monday, October 2, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 67697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21093]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency
44 CFR Ch. I
[Docket ID FEMA-2023-0026]
RIN 1660-AB12
FEMA Proposed Policy: Federal Flood Risk Management Standard
(FFRMS)
AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.
ACTION: Request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting
comments on the proposed FEMA policy, Federal Flood Risk Management
Standard (FFRMS). This proposed policy would provide detail, consistent
with applicable regulations, on applicability, processes, resources,
and responsibilities for implementing the FFRMS as part of FEMA's 8-
step decision making process for carrying out the directives of
Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management, as amended.
DATES: Comments must be received by December 1, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket ID: FEMA-2023-
0026, via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Portia Ross, Policy and Integration
Division Director, Office of Environmental Planning and Historic
Preservation, Resilience, DHS/FEMA, 400 C St. SW, Suite 313,
Washington, DC 20472-3020. Phone: (202) 709-0677; Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#90f6f5fdf1bde2f5f7e5fcf1e4f9fffee3d0f6f5fdf1bef4f8e3bef7ffe6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91f7f4fcf0bce3f4f6e4fdf0e5f8feffe2d1f7f4fcf0bff5f9e2bff6fee7">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEMA is proposing to issue a policy
complementary to 44 CFR part 9, Floodplain Management and Protection of
Wetlands, which governs FEMA's implementation the Federal Flood Risk
Management Standard (FFRMS). This policy would facilitate
implementation of FFRMS and bolster the resilience of communities and
Federal assets against the impacts of flooding.
Consistent with a proposed rule that is published elsewhere in this
issue of the Federal Register, this proposed policy would require that
FEMA determine the appropriate vertical flood elevation and
corresponding horizontal FFRMS floodplain for Actions Subject to the
FFRMS using either the Climate Informed Science Approach (CISA), the
Freeboard Value Approach (FVA), or the 0.2 Percent Annual Chance Flood
Approach (0.2PFA). Under the proposed policy, FEMA would determine the
FFRMS flood elevation and corresponding FFRMS floodplain according to
CISA for all locations where CISA is available where the best-
available, actionable hydrologic and hydraulic data and methods that
integrate current and future changes in flooding based on climate
science exist. When using CISA, for non-critical actions the FFRMS
floodplain would be at least as restrictive as the 1% annual chance
(AC) flood elevation and corresponding horizontal floodplain, and for
critical actions the FFRMS floodplain would be at least as restrictive
as the 0.2% AC flood elevation and corresponding horizontal floodplain.
For locations where CISA is not available and actionable, FEMA would
determine the FFRMS elevation and FFRMS floodplain for non-critical
actions by using the area that would be inundated by the lower of the
0.2% AC flood or +2-foot FVA. For critical actions, FEMA would
determine the FFRMS elevation and FFRMS floodplain using the area that
would be inundated by the higher of the 0.2% AC flood or +3-foot FVA.
(For locations where information about the elevation and/or extent of
the 0.2% AC floodplain is not available, the FFRMS floodplain would be
the +3-foot FVA for critical actions and +2-foot FVA for non-critical
actions).
This policy would also outline FEMA's process to identify actions
that may receive substantial damage or substantial improvement
determinations, require consideration of natural features and nature-
based approaches as alternatives to a proposed action, explain
requirements to minimize flood risk, and encourage early coordination
when multiple Federal agencies are jointly engaged in an action to
ensure a consistent approach to determine which floodplain
determination is applied.
Authority: Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management, as amended
and implementing regulations of 44 CFR part 9, among other authorities
listed in the proposed policy.
Deanne B. Criswell,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2023-21093 Filed 9-29-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-66-P
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