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<br />. The Connnunity Assistance Program needs to be revisited because, although it has provided <br />products for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, it has tended to replace state <br />capabilities rather than encourage states to develop more of their own capacity. <br /> <br />State and Local Mitigation and Planning <br /> <br />Local planning for floodplain management and mitigation needs to be better emphasized and <br />supported, Localities that have taken the initiative to analyze alternatives and implement their best <br />options should be recognized. Floodplain management planning credited by the Connnunity Rating <br />System is used by many connnunities as a model for developing mitigation plans, <br /> <br />Experience indicates that the best floodplain mitigation occurs in the states that have strong <br />programs, Floodplain management is not unique in this regard, Environmental programs like those <br />established pursuant to the Clean Water Act, the Coastal Zone Management Act, and others, <br />demonstrate that using federal leadership to build state and local capability and resources is an <br />efficient way to achieve public policy goals, These experiences indicate that state direction and <br />initiative needs to be fostered. The top-down planning and implementation process of existing flood <br />protection agencies does not build standing capability within a state, and will result in continuing <br />reliance on the federal govennnent to provide technical plans and funds. To build and support this <br />capability the following ideas should be considered, <br /> <br />· The Federal Emergency Management Agency's Comprehensive Cooperative Agreement funding <br />should be reallocated to include mitigation planning in times other than post-disaster settings, <br /> <br />· The Connnunity Assistance Program needs to be redesigned to encourage less oversight and more <br />long-range planning and project development. <br /> <br />· Technical and financial support and other incentives need to be developed at the state and federal <br />levels to encourage other connnunities to undertake their own mitigation activities, <br /> <br />· Technical assistance programs like the Corps of Engineers' Flood Plain Management Services and <br />Planning Assistance to States Program, which provide precise technical input into overall state <br />mitigation strategies, should be expanded and receive continued support. <br /> <br />Community Rating System <br /> <br />The Connnunity Rating System was established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as <br />an incentive mechanism aimed at recognizing and encouraging exemplary connnunity floodplain <br />management that exceeds minimum National Flood Insurance Program standards. Flood insurance <br />premiums are lowered to reflect reduced flood risk resulting from community activities that meet the <br />three goals of the Community Rating System: reducing flood losses; facilitating accurate insurance <br />rating; and promoting the awareness of flood insurance. The 900 communities that participate in the <br />Community Rating System today represent 65% of all National Flood Insurance Program <br />policyholders nationwide. Policyholders in Community Rating System-participating communities <br />receive premium discounts ranging from 5 to 25%, (Discounts up to 45% are available, although no <br />community has reached that level yet.) A recently completed multi-year evaluation of the Community <br />Rating System yielded numerous avenues for improvements in the program's operations, and a <br />generally favorable overall approval rating among local officials. <br /> <br />Association of State Floodplain Managers <br /> <br />-32- <br /> <br />National Flood Programs in Review 2000 <br />