WASHINGTON -- FEMA published a notice today in the Federal Register seeking public comment on the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) minimum floodplain management standards.
This notice is to gather comments on opportunities to update the program’s minimum floodplain management standards to help communities become safer, stronger and more resilient. It also seeks input on NFIP minimum floodplain management standards that will promote conservation of threatened and endangered species and their habitats consistent with the Endangered Species Act, Section 7(a)(1).
The type of feedback that is most useful to the agency includes feedback that:
- Identifies opportunities for the agency to improve the NFIP’s minimum floodplain management standards for land management and use
- Identifies specific program components that promote conservation of threatened and endangered species and their habitats
- Refers to specific barriers to community participation
- Aligns the program with the improved understanding of flood risk and flood risk reduction approaches
- Identifies better incentives for communities and policyholders, particularly for Endangered Species Act-listed species and critical habitats
- Offers actionable data
- Specifies viable alternatives to existing approaches that meet statutory obligations
Written comments can be submitted from Oct. 12 – Dec. 13, 2021 on the Federal eRulemaking Portal, Docket ID: FEMA-2021-2024. Please follow the instructions on the webpage for submitting comments and contact the Regulations Help Desk if you have technical issues.