FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency

01/22/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/22/2025 11:59

FEMA Promotes Flood Resilience with New Standard and Resources

Donna DeFrancesco, Assistant Administrator of FEMA's Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation, discusses the new Federal Flood Risk Management Standard final rule and how it will benefit communities affected by flood risk.

On July 11, 2024, FEMA published the final rule to fully implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, which revises the agency's floodplain management regulations. This rule allows FEMA to consider the best available data in making projects and communities more resilient to increased flood risk. FEMA also included key streamlining measures in the rule change to reduce complexity and speed approval of FEMA-funded recovery projects. The revised regulations are effective for disasters declared and notices of funding opportunity (NOFO) published on or after Sept. 9, 2024.

What has changed?

Prior to the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, FEMA and other federal agencies based their flood resilience standard on the 1% annual chance (100-year) flood for most federally funded projects. For critical facilities, like fire and police stations, hospitals and facilities that store hazardous materials, they used the 0.2% annual chance (500-year) flood.

Under these standards, communities experienced repeated cycles of flooding and recovery, with survivors facing the ongoing risk of flooding to their safety and finances. The new standard uses a higher flood elevation and wider floodplain to reflect the increased flood risk. FEMA's implementation of the rule empowers communities to better understand floodplains, recognize vulnerable areas, enhance their capacity to design resilient infrastructure and prioritize protective measures.

Figure 1: Graphic display of a narrow Federal Flood Risk Management Standard floodplain where topography influences the vertical ordering of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard approaches when the Climate-Informed Science Approach is not available.

Which programs are affected?

For disaster-related programs such as Public Assistance, Individual Assistance and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, the new rule and policy applies to disasters declared on or after Sept. 9, 2024.

For non-disaster grant programs, such as Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities and Flood Mitigation Assistance, the rule and policy apply to NOFOs published on or after Sept. 9, 2024.

The Federal Flood Risk Management Standard requires federally funded projects that involve new construction, substantial improvement or repairs to substantial damage to be resilient to a higher level of flooding that accounts for both current and future flood risk. FEMA also requires that all structure elevation, mitigation reconstruction and dry floodproofing projects funded through its Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs comply with the new standard.

Which tools will FEMA use to determine the new floodplain?

To support the implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, FEMA created new floodplain mapping resources, including the Federal Flood Standard Support Tool (the support tool) and the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard Floodplain Determination Job Aid. The agency will also allow use of other higher floodplain protection standards from states, territories, local jurisdictions or Tribal Nations. For project planning purposes, applicants can use the support tool as a screening tool to determine if potential FEMA-funded projects would be within the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard floodplain.

How will nature-based solutions help make communities more resilient to flooding?

FEMA's regulations and policy require consideration of natural features and nature-based solutions, such as the construction or restoration of wetlands, as alternatives to more traditional infrastructure. Nature-based solutions are features designed to mimic natural processes, and natural features are self-sustaining parts of the landscape. Both of these can help preserve and restore ecosystem processes, reduce flood risk and offer numerous other benefits.

FEMA follows an eight-step decision-making process to ensure careful floodplain management and wetlands protection. During the process, FEMA and FEMA applicants consider the possible impacts of actions that are in or that affect floodplains and wetlands. The process is an opportunity to consider and integrate nature-based solutions into project designs. To maximize benefits, nature-based solutions should be planned early in project development and tailored to the local environment.

Nature-based solutions can look different depending on the circumstances and environment. Examples of nature-based solutions include:

  • Permeable pavement, which allows more rainfall to soak into the ground, reducing flood risk.
  • Vegetated swales, which are shallow channels with plants or mulch that filter and absorb stormwater as it flows. They can be placed along streets and in parking lots to treat runoff and improve water quality.
  • Living shorelines, which stabilize shores by combining living components, such as plants, with structural elements, such as rock or sand. Living shorelines can slow waves and reduce erosion.

Protecting against future flood risks

The Federal Flood Risk Management Standard represents important progress in mitigating current and future flood risk and reducing the impact of future floods to build stronger communities.

What Federal Flood Risk Management Standard resources are available?

Federal Flood Risk Management Standard resources are available to FEMA applicants on FEMA.gov and on FEMA's YouTube channel.