FEMA Policy: Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS)
| Published date | 11 July 2024 |
| Record Number | 2024-15170 |
| Citation | 89 FR 56928 |
| Court | Federal Emergency Management Agency,Homeland Security Department |
| Section | Notices |
Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 133 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 133 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 56928]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-15170]
[[Page 56927]]
Vol. 89
Thursday,
No. 133
July 11, 2024
Part IIDepartment of Homeland Security-----------------------------------------------------------------------Federal Emergency Management Agency-----------------------------------------------------------------------FEMA Policy: Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS); Updates to
Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands Regulations To
Implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard; Notice and Final
Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 89 , No. 133 / Thursday, July 11, 2024 /
Notices
[[Page 56928]]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency
[Docket ID FEMA-2023-0026]
RIN 1660-AB12
FEMA Policy: Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS)
AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is announcing
the availability of the final FEMA policy, Federal Flood Risk
Management Standard (FFRMS). This policy provides 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: The announcement of this policy is published in the Federal
Register on July 11, 2024. The policy will be effective on September 9,
2024.
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: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEMA is issuing this policy complementary to
44 CFR part 9, Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands, which
governs FEMA's implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management
Standard (FFRMS). This policy facilitates implementation of FFRMS and
bolsters the resilience of communities and Federal assets against the
impacts of flooding.
Consistent with the final rule that is also published in today's
edition of the Federal Register, this policy requires 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 final policy, FEMA will 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 will be at least as
restrictive as the 1% annual chance (AC) flood elevation and
corresponding horizontal floodplain,\1\ and for critical actions the
FFRMS floodplain will 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 will 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 will 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 will be the +3-foot FVA for
critical actions and +2-foot FVA for non-critical actions).
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\1\ In coastal areas Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood
Insurance Studies (FISs) provide 1% AC flood elevations that account
for the effects of wave action. However, 0.2% AC flood elevations
are generally stillwater elevations that do not account for the
effects of wave action. In coastal areas, if the 0.2% AC flood
elevation does not account for the effects of wave action, the FVA
flood elevation must be used.
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This policy also outlines FEMA's process to identify actions that
may receive substantial damage or substantial improvement
determinations, requires consideration of natural features and nature-
based approaches as alternatives to a proposed action, explains
requirements to minimize flood risk, and encourages 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. 2024-15170 Filed 7-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-23-P
