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Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners

In Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners (Guidelines), the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) defines technical requirements, product specifications for Flood Hazard Maps and related National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) products, and associated coordination and documentation activities. When it was distributed in February 2002, the Guidelines combined FEMA technical, programmatic, and administrative procedure publications, guidance documents (listed below), and memorandums regarding Flood Hazard Map production. In April 2003, FEMA updated the Guidelines to reflect current requirements for FEMA products and processes, including changes to the processes and products associated with implementation of Flood Map Modernization (Map Mod).

APPENDIX I: Discovery has been Revised

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed a revised version of Appendix I of FEMA's Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners. This Appendix will replace the April 2003 version of Appendix I that contained the Project Scoping Toolbox and the guidance for Scoping and Pre-Scoping activities. The June 2011 version of Appendix I contains the guidance for conducting Discovery. Discovery is the process to be applied by FEMA Regions, Cooperating Technical Partners, and other Mapping Partners in performing initial activities in a watershed of interest that may lead to a Risk MAP project being initiated.

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Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) and DFIRM Database Information

The requirements for the production and processing of two key products of Map Mod—the DFIRM and the DFIRM Spatial Database—are documented in Volume 1 and Appendices K, L, and N of the Guidelines. FEMA has developed additional information on digital flood mapping products to support the FEMA product and process requirements detailed in Volume 1 and the appendices.

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Document Control Procedures Manual

The FEMA Document Control Procedures Manual (Manual) is to be used in conjunction with the Guidelines. The Manual provides guidance to FEMA, mapping partner, and contractor staff for the processing of standard and non-standard documents used in FEMA-contracted studies/restudies, community-initiated map revisions, conditional and final map revisions based on conditions other than fill, conditional and final map revisions based on fill, conditional and final map amendments, Letter of Determination Review, and special conversions. The Manual also provides procedures and sample documents for use in tracking community compliance and documenting a community's entry into NFIP.

Because the Manual is a living document, FEMA encourages interested parties to submit ideas for improving this Manual. Please see How to Submit Comments and Suggestions.

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FEMA Procedure Memorandums

When appropriate, FEMA has issued, and will continue to issue, Procedure Memorandums in the following situations:

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FEMA Operating Guidance

In 2011 FEMA began issuing Operating Guidance. Operating Guidance documents provide best practices for FEMA’s Risk MAP program. These guidance documents are intended to support current FEMA standards and facilitate effective and efficient implementation of these standards. However, nothing in Operating Guidance is mandatory, other than program standards that are defined elsewhere and reiterated in the Operating Guidance document. Alternate approaches that comply with program standards that effectively and efficiently support program objectives are also acceptable.

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Diary of Revisions

When FEMA updates and re-issues the Guidelines, detailed Summaries of Changes are provided at the beginning of each affected section or subsection. A general list of changes made to components of the Guidelines also is provided in a Diary of Revisions.

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Document Organization

The Guidelines have been organized into 3 volumes and 13 appendices as follows:

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Version Control

FEMA will update and re-issue the Guidelines periodically. In the interim, FEMA will use the procedure memorandum process to add, revise, and supersede standards and guidelines when immediate changes to the Guidelines are warranted. FEMA Regional and Headquarters Office staff will notify mapping partners and contractors when changes are made.

To ensure FEMA mapping partners and contractors are provided with a controlled and current version of the Guidelines for Flood Hazard Map production and processing activities, FEMA implemented the following document control procedures:

FEMA mapping partners and contractors will also be able to keep up to date on changes to the Guidelines through the Diary of Revisions discussed above.

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Guidelines and Specifications Archives

To facilitate review by FEMA, mapping partner, and contractor staff, FEMA is maintaining a Guidelines and Specifications Archive that will contain superseded versions of the Guidelines.

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How to Submit Comments and Suggestions

Written comments and suggestions may be submitted to FEMA electronically by sending an e-mail message to FEMAGS@riskmapcds.com. Alternatively, comments and suggestions may be mailed to the address below.

Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration
Risk Analysis Division
500 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20472
maryjo.mullen@dhs.gov 
Attention: Mary Jo Mullen, Chair, Guidelines and Standards Steering Committee

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For More Information

For more information or additional assistance:

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Last Modified: Tuesday, 02-Aug-2011 16:36:30 EDT

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