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INNOVATIVE PROCEDURES FOR FUNDING FLOODPLAIN STUDIES !f' Lawrence Basich, P.E. FEMA Region X Bothell, Washington .~,. ~. t , As the budget comes under increasing scrutiny, FEMA flood study managers must continually think of new and innovative ways to initiate and complete studies. For FY 1995, although the FEMA budget was cut by approximately 10 percent, the flood study budget was slashed by up to 40 percent, depending on the Region. With these kind of cuts, it is becoming more and more apparent that the Regional Offices, along with their State and local partners, must start thinking in terms of survival, not just rebudgeting of funds. , In Region X, Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, we have been actively seeking funding mechanisms for accomplishing our common goals. We are working with King County and augmenting their local study monies to study similar areas by using our LMMP study monies and our contractor. We have worked with Okanogan County to split the study duties and monies to accomplish a major restudy that was affecting a growing area of the County. As a matter of course, we've met with local engineers who are constantly updating our studies. In two instances in Clackamas and Washington Counties, Oregon, the local governments identified problems with the existing FISs, requested restudies, and in lieu of waiting for the restudies, decided to reflect the risk and do the entire study themselves, which would be saving FEMA in excess of $100,000 a piece. We are working with the contractors for the local governments as if they were contractors to this Agency. On three occasions we have sat on contractor selection boards for local government in their efforts to select qualified firms. Our selection board and study experience has been invaluable to the local study process. F~ ~ ,;; i i; :{ Lawrence Basich, Civil Engineer, FEMA Region X, Federal Regional Center, 130 228th Street, SW., Bothell, Washington 98021-9796, Tel. (206) 487-4703