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Executive Standards Resources Orders '1988 and '1990, and Procedures for Water Planning. and the and Principals, Related Land National flood Insurance Proqram The National flood Insurance Act of 1968 (Title XIII of Public Law 90-4118, Public Law 93-234. Public Law 95-128) is a key element in this new approach to flood loss reduction. It provides for identifying the more serious flood hazard areas in the nation and for a program whereby residents in those areas can purchase insurance against flood losses if the community participates in the program. Communities must regulate flood plain development to be eligible for participation. The federal government heavily subsidizes insu~ance costs to make p~emium rates affordable. Also, federal grants. loans and other financial assistance are denieod in flood hazard areas of .non-participating communitjes. In addition. the program provide~ assistance in hazard mitigation including relocation of severely or repetitively damaged structures. A program of this type has been disucssed since the mid-30's and enacted--although not funded--in the 50's. Its implementation in 1968 signalled a major step forward in the rational management of flood-prone lands. At present, about 18.000 communities are participating in the program. Implementation of the National Flood Insurance Program has proceeded since 1968 so as to obtain the maximum effect in the least time with the resources available. Efforts were focused first on areas subject to rlverine flooding because that case was the best understood from the techinical standpoint and because riverine flooding affected the greatest number of communities and people. The program has subsequently expanded toward its full authorized purview by incremental additions as necessary research was 6