FEMA Begins Process of Revising Floodplain Management Standards to Increase Climate Resiliency

On October 12, 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published a notice of request for information on how to best revise the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) floodplain management standards to increase climate resiliency. NFIP’s floodplain management standards are designed to reduce future flood risk, but they have not been updated since 1976. FEMA is seeking to align the standards with modern understanding of flood risks and flood risk reduction approaches. This notice follows recent changes to NFIP’s rating methodology, which were also designed to integrate climate-driven changes in flood risk.

The public may submit comments to FEMA until December 13, 2021.