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June 15, 2023 | vol. 36, no.6
Risk Rating 2.0: Adjustments Needed 
By Chad Berginnis, CFM

A consistent comment I have heard over my career is, what do floodplain managers have to do with flood insurance? Even as recently as this past month, I have talked with colleagues at FEMA who work in the Federal Insurance Directorate on the NFIP yet don’t quite understand the tight connection. So I thought I would spend this month’s column explaining why floodplain managers care about flood insurance and share some thoughts about FEMA’s new rating system — Risk Rating 2.0. 

2023 Conference by the Numbers
In what was described as a “tsunami of information, experiences, and friendships,” the 2023 Conference kicked off with a fun-filled Welcome Fest and ended with a closing reception at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science — all with lots of learning and networking in between.

We put together a photo slideshow that captures just some of the conference experience. View on YouTube
Be sure to also check out the final wrap-up article for some conference fun facts, links to even more photos, and instructions for how to access the conference recordings. Read more
2023 ASFPM Award Winners Recognized in Raleigh
We are delighted to officially announce this year's ASFPM Award winners. Meet the people and organizations who are working to advance the association’s mission to reduce the loss of human life and property damage due to flooding. Read more
ASFPM Submits Comments Supporting Changes Proposed by HUD and OMB
It has been a busy month for the ASFPM policy team with two sets of comments submitted in response to proposed changes by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Read more
Louisiana’s Climate Adaptation Program Is Running Out of Time
The state’s ambitious projects have reduced land loss and flood risk, but many of coastal communities are still under threat and the money that has sustained the state’s coastal buildout will dwindle in the coming decade, forcing ever harder choices. Read more
FEMA News
FEMA Acronyms, Abbreviations and Terms
 
An update to the FEMA Acronyms, Abbreviations and Terms – or “FAAT Book”, as it is known – is now available. This comprehensive list of FEMA and emergency management-related acronyms, terms and abbreviations can be downloaded from the FEMA glossary page.

The agency will not publish hard copies of the 2023 update.
Initial Selections for FY 2022 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Funding Announced

On May 19, FEMA announced the initial grant selections for fiscal year 2022 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant funding. For BRIC, $136 million in subapplications were selected for mitigation projects and planning, project scoping, and the adoption and enforcement of hazard resistant building codes. For FMA, nearly $24 million in subapplications were selected for updating flood hazard mitigation plans, technical assistance, and project scoping. Read more
Public Comment Period Opens for Community Disaster Resilience Zones and the National Risk Index

FEMA has published a notice in the Federal Register seeking public comment on implementation of the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act of 2022, including updates to the methodology and data used for the National Risk Index and any other hazard assessment products; potential improvements to FEMA's provision of hazard data; the process used to designate community disaster resilience zones; financial and technical assistance for resilience or mitigation projects primarily benefitting community disaster resilience zones; and the community disaster resilience zone project application and certification process.

Comments are due July 25, 2023. Learn More
New Map Details Historic Flood Insurance Claims

FEMA has produced a new data visualization map on that shows flood claims across the United States since 1980. Viewers can also filter and sort historical flood insurance claims in every state and territory. Flood claims are only one element of the risk calculus for any property. If a property does not have flood insurance through the NFIP, that incident is not included in this data. View the map
NEWS BRIEFS
Decreasing flood risk in the Midwest with regional collaborations
A regional approach to flood risk can help communities pool resources and implement effective solutions. This report from Headwaters Economics and Georgetown Climate Center showcases five case studies that offer lessons. Read more
GAO report on gaps in FEMA's disaster workforce
As of the beginning of fiscal year 2022, FEMA had approximately 11,400 disaster employees on board and a staffing goal of 17,670, creating an overall staffing gap of approximately 6,200 staff (35 percent) across different positions. Read more
More than one-third of Florida properties face looming flood risk, but some residents are unaware
A combination of factors including stronger storms fueled by climate change, a strained insurance industry and ineffective state regulations has placed millions of low-income Florida residents at risk of a major insurance coverage gap. Read more
As climate risks rise, flood insurance costs stun US homeowners
If the new premiums prompt too many people to end their coverage, they could jeopardize the stability of the NFIP — which is already more than $20 billion in debt — and potentially drive up flood insurance prices even more, analysts, and lawmakers say. Read more
America’s aging flood control infrastructure is failing – federal funding is coming, but too often new construction relies on old data
As federal funding for infrastructure rolls in, communities run the risk of spending millions of dollars on systems that weren’t built to handle the flood risks ahead. Protecting communities starts with changing the status quo, including incorporating climate change into infrastructure planning and developing innovative policies for better flood management. Read more
National Levee Safety Program comments due June 30
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA are seeking feedback on tools and resources being developed as part of the National Levee Safety Program. These resources, aimed at helping stakeholders and Tribal Nations more consistently manage their levees and increase resiliency for their communities, include levee best practices, a model framework that states and Tribal Nations can use to set up formal levee safety programs, a user-friendly, updated version of the current National Levee Database, and templates to assist those with levee responsibilities complete their day-to-day levee activities.
 
A list of questions to help guide your feedback, along with information on how to submit comments, is available at www.leveesafety.org under Phase 2 activities. Feedback should be submitted no later than June 30, 2023.
ASFPM Career Center

Whether you have a position to fill or are looking for your next career move, the ASFPM Career Center is here for you. Here's a preview of some of the current positions listed: 

Floodplain Coordinator - St. Petersburg, FL
State Floodplain Supervisor - Boise, ID
Floodplain Manager - Lake Oswego, OR
Floodplain Management Program Coordinator - Wisconsin

Get details on these and other job listings. To post openings to the ASFPM Career Center, simply log into the member portal or create a guest account to get started.