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<br />Wednesday, May 20 10:30 - 11 :45 AM Track 7 - NFIP Status - Moderator: Robert Watson
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<br />A NATIONAL RIVERINE EROSION HAZARD AREA FEASmllJTY STUDY:
<br />PROGRESS REPORT
<br />Mike Grimm and Norman Miller
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<br />As a result of the National Flood Insuunce Reform Act of 1994 (NFlRA), FEMA must list all communities that are likely to be identified
<br />as having erosion hazard areas, estimate the amount of flood insurance claims that are attributable to erosion, and assess the full economic
<br />impact of erosion on the National Flood Insurance Fund, In developing an estimate of the flood insurance claims attributable to erosion,
<br />NFIRA Subparagraph 577 (b)( 1) states, "the Director may map a statistically valid and representative number of communities with erosion
<br />hazard areas throughout the United States, including coastal, Great Lakes, and, if technologically feasible, riverine areas,"
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<br />In response to the NFIRA. FEMA is conducting a study to determine the technological feasibility of mapping riverine erosion hazard areas
<br />(REBA), The objectives of the study ,ere to defme riverine erosion processes, discuss geomorphic and engineering methods that could be
<br />used to map REHA's, evaluate the me~lods of predicting and modeling REHA' s that have been applied in selected case studies within the
<br />United States, evaluate the cost to study and map REHA's, and discuss programmatic elements associated with mapping and regulating
<br />REHA's. This session will provide a progress report and results to date,
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<br />FACTORS IN TIlE RECENT INCREASE IN TIlE NFIP POLICY BASE
<br />TiraMiller
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<br />Several factors have played a part in increasing the policy base oVer recent years. The "Cover America" efforts to reach those most at risk
<br />for flooding included TV and radio news interViews, via satellite transmission. The media tours reached an estimated audience of
<br />17,662,000, Direct mail campaign to consumers included brochures urging consumers to contact their insurance company, agent or the
<br />NFlP for flood insurance information, 11le media tolU'S reached an estimated audience of 17,662,000. The NFIP urges its insurance industry
<br />stakeholders to take advantage of the co-op Program, It helps by enabling them to share the costs (50/50) with the NFIP, Any flood
<br />insurance print or Yellow Pages display advertising could quaIiJY for ftmding. Statistics to illustrate the market penetration of Cover America
<br />will be provided, A case study on geographical areas will illustrate the increased policy base, and provide the impact of the 1994 Reform
<br />Act. President Clinton signed into law the Community Development and Regulatoty hnprovement Act of 1994 on September 23, 1994.
<br />Title V, lhe National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994, marks lhe first major change in lhe Program in more lhan 20 years, Lenders
<br />are required to notifY borrowers if their building or mobile home is in a Special Flood Hazard Area and requires flood insurance, If the
<br />borrower has not purchased flood insurance after 45 days of the notification, the lenders have the statutoty authority to purchase flood
<br />insurance on behalf of the borrower, FEMA recommends that the lenders use the Mortgage Portfolio Protection Program (MPPP) when
<br />force placing. Civil penalties may be imposed on Federally regulated lenders and GSEs for housing that have a pattern of non-compliance
<br />with flood insurance requirements, notification, escrow, and placement and maintenance offlood insurance, The penalties are $350 for each
<br />offense, not to exceed a maximum of$100,OOO annually, The penalties will be deposited in the National Flood Mitigation Fund, established
<br />by lhe Ac~ and will be used to support the Mitigation Assistance Program established under Section 553. The increase in flooding
<br />throughout cOlmtry, particularly in FEMA Region V, has increased NFIP coverage, The EI Nino climate pattern with its high potential for
<br />flooding in the western states and the southern tier of the United States has generated a great deal of interest in flood insurance,
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<br />TIlE NATIONAL FLOOD IINSURANCE REFORM ACT: A REVIEW OF TIlE FIVE-YEAR MAP UPDATE
<br />Marie Britt, Cindy Croxdale and Sean Fletcher
<br />
<br />FEMA's Five- Year Map Review/Updab, Process is mandated by the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (NFIRA), Section 575
<br />of the Act mandates that FEMA must assess the need to revise and update all floodplain areas and flood-risk zones identified, deline.led,
<br />or established under this section, based on an analysis of all natural hazards affecting flood risks, As of December 1997, 30 percent of the
<br />communities currently in the National Flood Insurance Program have been reviewed and their mapping needs have been recorded in the
<br />Map Needs Update Support System database (MNUSS).
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<br />This paper analyses the data collected trom the 30 percent of communities sampled in the Five-Year Map Update process. The database
<br />ranks and prioritizes the map update needs based on density, growth, and floodplain characteristics, It illustrates the complexity of
<br />modernizing the floodplain maps for communities in the NFIP, The data identifies the Routine Maintenance and Restudy needs for each
<br />community and costs associated with resolving the needs, This inventory of needs will provide an assessment of funding needed to show
<br />all current special flood hazard areas and to address the ease ofmap use issues, By the end of Fiscal Year 1999, FEMA will have a complete
<br />inventory of map update needs for the entire country, Data from the inventory will allow FEMA to identifY future budget requirements by
<br />Region and geographic location; sch..Jule future mapping updates to be coincident with mitigation, disaster, and insurance initiatives;
<br />develop reports to Congress on the NFlRA impact; and aid in NFIP reauthorization hearings.
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