[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 102 (Friday, May 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24328-24329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11210]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency
[Docket ID FEMA-2012-0012]
Record of Decision for the Final National Flood Insurance Program
Nationwide Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Record of Decision for the final
nationwide programmatic environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announces the
availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the final nationwide
programmatic environmental impact statement (NPEIS) evaluating the
environmental impacts of proposed modifications to the National Flood
Insurance Program (NFIP). The NPEIS was completed in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the
Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ's) regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of NEPA, and FEMA's Directive 108-1
``Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Responsibilities and
Program Requirements.''
ADDRESSES: Electronic versions of the ROD are available for viewing at
FEMA's website at https://www.fema.gov/programmatic-environmental-impact-statement.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the ROD,
contact Bret Gates, FEMA, Federal Insurance and Mitigation
Administration, Floodplain Management Division, 400 C Street SW,
Washington, DC 20472, or
[[Page 24329]]
via email at [email protected], or by phone at 202-646-2780.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Development of the NFIP NPEIS began with
publication of the Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on May 16,
2012. (77 FR 28891) The evaluation process included the NFIP
Stakeholder Listening Session with key stakeholders in November 2009.
In addition, FEMA conducted two public meetings in December 2010 and
opened a public comment period on four alternatives for NFIP Reform.
Comments received were considered part of the scoping process for this
NPEIS. Additionally, FEMA held three public webinars in April and May
of 2014 to further the scoping process. (79 FR 16354, March 25, 2014)
Publication of the draft NPEIS on April 7, 2017 included a 60-day
comment period with public meetings and webinars to obtain comments on
the document. (82 FR 17023) FEMA accepted comments on the draft NPEIS
until June 6, 2017. Comments on the draft NPEIS were incorporated, as
appropriate, into the final NPEIS (see Appendix M).
Publication of the final NPEIS on November 3, 2017 (82 FR 51286)
initiated a 30-day hold period for the final NPEIS that ended on
December 3, 2017. A summary of the comments received on the final NPEIS
and explanations as to why changes to the NPEIS were not warranted is
included in the ROD.
The modifications to the NFIP are needed to (a) implement the
legislative requirements of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform
Act of 2012 (BW-12) and the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act
of 2014 (HFIAA); and (b) to demonstrate compliance with the Endangered
Species Act (ESA). As stated in the final NPEIS, the need to implement
the legislative requirements of BW-12 and HFIAA arises from the recent
concerns over the fiscal soundness of the NFIP.
The final NPEIS considered four alternatives and described the
potential environmental effects of each alternative. With this notice
FEMA is announcing the availability of the ROD on the actions to be
taken, including potential mitigation measures, and its intent to
implement the Preferred Alternative from the NFIP's final NPEIS. The
preferred alternative consists of the following program modifications:
--Preferred Alternative 2 (Legislatively Required Changes, Floodplain
Management Criteria Guidance, and Letter of Map Change [LOMC]
Clarification) (Preferred Alternative)
[cir] Phase out of subsidies on certain pre-Flood Insurance Rate
Map (pre-FIRM) properties (non-primary residences, business properties,
severe repetitive loss properties, substantially damaged or improved
properties, and properties for which the cumulative claims payments
exceed the fair market value of the property) at a rate of 25 percent
premium increases per year.
[cir] Phase out of subsidies on all other pre-FIRM properties
through annual premium rate increases of an average rate of at least 5
percent, but no more than 15 percent, per risk classification, with no
individual policy exceeding an 18 percent premium rate increase.
[cir] Implement a monthly installment plan payment option for non-
escrowed flood insurance policies.
[cir] Clarify that pursuant to 44 CFR 60.3(a)(2), a community must
obtain and maintain documentation of compliance with the appropriate
Federal or State laws, including the ESA, as a condition of issuing
floodplain development permits.
[cir] Clarify that the issuing of certain LOMC requests (i.e., map
revisions) is contingent on the community, or the project proponent on
the community's behalf, submitting documentation of compliance with the
ESA.
The ROD is available for viewing at https://www.fema.gov/programmatic-environmental-impact-statement.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq.; 40 CFR part 1500; FEMA
Instruction 108-1-1.
Dated: May 18, 2018.
Brock Long,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2018-11210 Filed 5-24-18; 8:45 am]
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