SPRING 2007 Vermont MMMS – Business Plan Summary Data based on information provided by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VT DEC), Water Quality Division dated July 2006 and other FEMA sources REGIONAL AND STATE VIEW Federal FY06 Region I Funding Distribution Total $6,507,960 Rhode Island Connecticut 2.4%Massachusetts 41.0% New Hampshire 7.8% Maine 29.5% 7.6% Vermont MMMS - 1.9% Vermont Non-CTP Mapping Funds 9.7% Source: State percentage received of total FY06 Flood Map Modernization Regional production budget Vermont 11.6% PURPOSE OF BUSINESS PLAN SUMMARY The Map Modernization Management Support (MMMS) Business Plan Summary was compiled by reviewing the Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2005-2009 MMMS Business Plans and FY 2007 updates. These business plans were submitted to the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by FEMA’s MMMS partners. The spring 2007 Business Plan Summary is being published at the crossroads of FEMA’s mid-program evaluation and the end-state conditions of Map Modernization. This year, the summary reflects the MMMS partners’ approach to and the effects of FEMA’s mid-course adjustment, in addition to outlining their accomplished and planned MMMS activities, highlighting the MMMS partner’s approach to meeting the goals of and program vision for Map Modernization. FEMA’s mid-course adjustment is a redirection of improving and updating the Nation’s flood hazard identification maps. FEMA will now focus on developing flood maps that meet new higher standards for mapping and for a greater allocation of resources to those communities at greatest flood risk. The “end state conditions” refer to how successful the flood mapping effort is at the end of Map Modernization in FY 2010. STATE VISION FOR MAP MODERNIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VT DEC) shares the same over-arching Map Modernization goals as FEMA in reducing the loss of life and property, minimizing suffering and disruption caused by disaster, and better preparing the Nation to address the consequences of flooding and other hazards. VT DEC believes that in order to meet these goals, it will be necessary to employ a truly multi-hazard approach that includes the assessment and mapping of fluvial erosion hazards and to make this information available to the public in order to reduce the presently unacceptable level of conflict between human land use and infrastructure investments and the dynamic adjustments of fluvial systems. The VT DEC feels that it is important to work closely with FEMA in order to meet the goals of Map Modernization. To this end, VT DEC will have strong participation in overall program management responsibilities and will work to build its capability and capacity to take on additional mapping management responsibilities in the future. VT DEC will partner with other state and regional agencies to further enhance the flood mapping process in the state. VT DEC will continually work to motivate and recruit additional partners to share responsibilities and assume responsibility for information, resources, data development, and data maintenance activities through the Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) program. Please See Page 2 MAP OF PRELIMINARY DFIRMS MAP OF EFFECTIVE DFIRMS 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 LEGENDMap of Preliminary DFIRMs Source: FEMA Regional Flood Study Sequencing by County – March 2007 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 LEGENDMap of Effective DFIRMs Source: FEMA Regional Flood Study Sequencing by County – March 2007 PAGE 2 Vermont MMMS – Business Plan Summary Data based on information provided by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VT DEC), Water Quality Division dated July 2006 and other FEMA sources EFFECTS/APPROACH OF/TO MIDCOURSE ADJUSTMENT The VT DEC recognizes that the mapping priorities need to be broken out by census block group in order to determine how the original state prioritization will need to be modified to reflect the revised risk-based national target performance metrics and indicators. The new risk-based metrics will most likely result in a decrease in overall mapping funding to Vermont as compared to other states because of the relatively low population, low land area, and low declared flood disasters. It is likely that under the revised risk based prioritization that only limited defined priority areas will receive modernized maps while those areas not listed as priorities will receive digitally converted or validated maps. The number and order of counties scheduled to begin each year is ultimately dependent upon revised prioritization based on the mid-course adjustment and will be updated as necessary. SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND STRENGTHS OR SUCCESS STORIES The VT DEC River Management Program has developed a Fluvial Erosion Hazard (FEH) assessment methodology. VT DEC has utilized this methodology in a number of stream mitigation projects. In conjunction with the consideration of National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) designated floodways, a recent landmark Vermont Supreme Court decision affirmed the responsibility of the state to consider fluvial erosion hazards to public safety in the regional and state level review of land development projects. The information obtained as a result of the FEH initiative directly supports the Map Modernization goals to reduce the loss of life and property and represents a true multi-hazard approach that quantifies the dynamic nature of fluvial systems. SIGNIFICANT COOPERATIVE EFFORTS WITH PARTNERS The VT DEC and Vermont Center for Geographic Information (VCGI) will participate in the CTP program. FEMA Region I conducted a CTP capability assessment for both VT DEC and VCGI in March 2005. VT DEC has not yet received indication from FEMA as to the results of their capability assessment. VT DEC does not currently participate in the CTP program. FEMA Region I has responded to VCGI and deemed them capable to perform CTP activities related to Base Map Acquisition, Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) production, and QA/QC of the DFIRM production. VCGI currently participates in the CTP program. VT DEC will continually work to motivate and recruit partners to share responsibilities and assume responsibility for information, resources, data development, and data maintenance activities through the CTP program. As the state of Vermont and their partners build greater capability and capacity, we anticipate having a greater presence in the CTP program. IMPEDIMENTS TO MAP ADOPTION VT DEC would like to contract with the Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs) to obtain all effective ordinances, to conduct ordinance reviews of the effective flood hazard area regulations, to provide any necessary technical assistance, and to provide an NFIP compliant ordinance for adoption to each participating community in sync with the Map Modernization sequencing. The contracting of these services will help to ensure timely adoption of the new flood maps in these counties, help to build capability and capacity among the RPCs, as well as to further build effective partnerships between FEMA, the state, and the RPCs. UNMET NEEDS OF VERMONT'S MAP MODERNIZATION PROGRAM While VT DEC has the necessary capabilities to perform all of the management activities described in the business plan, it currently does not have the capacity to perform all of the specified management activities. In order to successfully fulfill the Map Modernization business plan’s vision, the VT DEC will need to have 1.75 FTE dedicated to perform the specified MMMS activities. Additional 0.25 FTE will be required to perform the additional MMMS activities as proposed in the FY07 business plan compared to the 2005 plan. VT DEC staff will provide most of the necessary management and technical skills needed to coordinate the Map Modernization effort work in-house. However, some of the fluvial erosion hazard mapping work and ordinance review and assistance work will need to be performed through contracted services and will require additional funding. MMMS ACTIVITIES PLANNED FY07 • Digital base map inventory and data sharing • DFIRM maintenance management • H&H review management • Assessment of community mapping needs • Technical standards agreement • IT systems • Outreach • Minimal support activities • Managing updates to the MIP • Training efforts to state and local officials • Coordination and effort in building partnerships • Staffing • Compliance/map adoption • Quality standards • Management efforts • Levee certification strategy MHIP Version 2.5 http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2636