Disaster and emergency areas: National flood insurance program; comment request,

[Federal Register: September 9, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 174)]

[Notices]

[Page 48222]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr09se98-73]

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

National Flood Insurance Program; Call for Issues

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

ACTION: Notice with request for comments.

SUMMARY: FEMA's Federal Insurance Administration (FIA) and Mitigation Directorate (MT) give notice inviting the public to recommend how the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) may be made more effective.

DATES: Comments should be submitted by November 9, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Please submit your comments in the requested format to: National Flood Insurance Program, Call for Issues Project, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street SW., room 430, Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: H. Joseph Coughlin, Jr., Assistant to the Federal Insurance Administrator, the Federal Insurance Administration, 500 C Street SW., Washington, DC 20472, (202) 646-3449, or Michael Robinson, Program Specialist, Program Assessment and Outreach Division, the Mitigation Directorate, 500 C Street SW., Washington, DC 20472, (202) 646-2716.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEMA is providing an opportunity to partners and customers of the NFIP to provide input on how to improve the effectiveness of the program through a ``call for issues.'' Comments may focus on but are not limited to: the NFIP's laws, its regulations, and its policies; the language of the Standard Flood Insurance Policy; the flood insurance manual; the NFIP's procedures or forms; flood hazard mapping guidelines, specifications, or procedures; the NFIP's floodplain management requirements, policies, and technical guidance; and marketing, training, and public information efforts. FEMA will also consider any recommendations on reinventing the NFIP through innovative approaches.

Anyone wishing FEMA to consider recommendations to improve the NFIP's effectiveness should use the following format:

Issue: Briefly state the nature of the issue, concern, or problem.

Description: Identify the specific program reference, that is, where the issue is found in statute, regulations, insurance manuals, insurance policy, form, procedure, etc. Cite any applicable references to section, sub-section, page, paragraph number, line, etc. Explain also why the issue is a problem for NFIP's customers and why it should be changed.

Suggestion: Offer a specific suggestion on how the issue may be addressed. Include specific language changes, where appropriate, and where such changes should be made. Explain also the benefits to the NFIP's customers.

FEMA will evaluate each submission on its costs and benefits, the overall impact on the NFIP, service to its policyholders, and ease of adoption. FEMA's decisions will be reflected in a report to be published in the third quarter of fiscal year 1999.

Dated: August 31, 1998. Jo Ann Howard, Administrator, Federal Insurance Administration. Michael J. Armstrong, Associate Director, Mitigation Directorate.

[FR Doc. 98-24160Filed9-8-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6718-03-P