On April 1, 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released an official announcement (Release Number HQ-21-079) and Memorandum for Write Your Own (WYO) Principal Coordinators and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Direct Serving Agent (W-21003) outlining plans for implementing its new NFIP rating system known as Risk Rating 2.0 described by FEMA as … Continue Reading
Most people would not associate flood insurance with the protection of endangered species. But over the past decade, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been the target of multiple lawsuits alleging that the agency has violated the Endangered Species Act by not considering the impacts of its flood insurance program on endangered species and … Continue Reading
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) often seems to be the Congressional-stepchild; everyone knows that it deserves some attention but everyone is too busy with their favorite child. Unfortunately, the Program is scheduled to expire in May and when it expires, the consequences can be dire. Financial Services Committee Chair Maxine Waters has been a … Continue Reading
In a last minute move to avert a mini-financial disaster, today the Senate passed, and the president signed, a bill to extend the NFIP until November 30, 2018. The House had previously passed a companion bill. Demonstrating the broad support to keep the program running, the Senate passed the bill 86-12 and the president signed … Continue Reading
FEMA has announced that Roy Wright, the director of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program, is stepping down to take the helm of a nonprofit backed by the insurance industry. We will be sorry to see Roy leave. He was a great advocate for purchasing flood insurance, for sensible policies by FEMA, and for modifying FEMA’s administration … Continue Reading
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will expire at the end of the month. For anyone that has read the newspaper lately, this is a lousy time for the program to expire with two hurricanes bearing down on the Eastern seaboard, and Texas’ largest city recovering from a 100-year storm. But politically, it is a … Continue Reading
August 15, 2017 was a busy day for the Trump Administration. While interacting with the press and other politicians regarding the protests and counter-protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, the White House was also issuing an Executive Order with potentially far-reaching effects on flood management.… Continue Reading
Today’s post features a collaboration between guest author Julie Minerva and Scott and Andrea. This morning the Trump Administration released its America First Budget (aka the Skinny Budget) for FY18. The text of the document contains much of the same rhetoric you heard in the President’s inaugural address as the budget proposes to focus on advancing the … Continue Reading
Researchers at UC Davis recently concluded that California should consider leaving the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and explore implementation of its own statewide flood insurance program in order to invest in risk reduction rather than premiums. This is an idea that has been talked about for years by state and local flood management experts. … Continue Reading
This is a follow-up to our blog post last week, “FEMA Issues Draft Regulatory Amendments To Implement President Obama’s Executive Order 13690 And The Federal Flood Risk Management Standard; Comments Due By October 21, 2016.” FEMA’s Approach to Amending Its Regulations Many of the proposed amendments to the regulations focus on the details for the … Continue Reading
Introduction Executive Order 11988 (EO 11988) requires Federal agencies to avoid, to the extent possible, the long- and short-term adverse impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of floodplains where there is a practicable alternative. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is now proposing to amend its regulations (found in 44 CFR Part 9) which … Continue Reading
People definitely care. But not enough people are likely to care to make a political issue out of it due to how the rate increases were designed. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) rate increases called for by the last two acts of Congress are designed as slow and modest increases for the vast majority … Continue Reading
The House Appropriations Committee has passed the fiscal year 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations bill this last week. That bill, which does not yet have the authority of law, includes the following content regarding the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. If the bill passes the House, and then the Senate, and is approved the President, … Continue Reading
May 6th is the deadline for comments to be submitted on the draft guidelines for the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. While there have been further attempts at extending the comment period (see for example this letter from 33 members of the House of Representatives), it appears that the deadline will not be changing. Here … Continue Reading
Since 2008 the Natomas area in the City of Sacramento has been under an effective moratorium on new development due to insufficient flood protection. The area is preparing to re-start development once the City receives a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that lifts a flood hazard designation that was severely limiting the … Continue Reading
There is significant uncertainty as to the intent and effect of the new Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, released as part of the Obama Administration’s issuance of Executive Order 13690, issued in January to amend Executive Order 11988. Based on the chatter in the flood risk management community, the FFRMS has the potential to turn … Continue Reading
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced the first four listening sessions for the newly proposed draft guidance to implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) arising out of President Obama’s recent amendment of Executive Order 11988. As we noted in previous blog entries, the President has amended the Carter-era Executive Order that … Continue Reading
Eight Republican Senators have issued a letter to President Obama questioning the legality of the President’s newly issued Executive Order (EO) amending Executive Order 11988 issued by President Carter in 1997. The letter was signed by Senators Cochran (Mississippi), Vitter (Louisiana), Cornyn (Texas), Isakson (Georgia), Wicker (Mississippi), Blunt (Missouri), Boozeman (Arkansas), and Cassidy (Louisiana) on … Continue Reading
President Obama recently issued an Executive Order “Establishing a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and a Process for Further Soliciting and Considering Stakeholder Input.” The Order sets forth President Obama’s administration’s floodplain management policy and significantly amends Executive Order 11988 issued by President Carter. Downey Brand has created a redline for your reference. Background In … Continue Reading
