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Dan Delich
National Levee Issues Alliance
National Floodplain Policy: FFRMS
• EO 13690 updates EO 11988 by President Carter (1977)
• Both executive actions are to:• Avoid adverse impacts in floodplains
• Avoid Fed support of floodplain development if alternatives exist
WHILE:
(1) Acquiring, managing, disposing Fed lands and facilities
(2) Providing Fed, Fed-financed or Fed-assisted construction and improvements
(3) Conducting Fed activities & programs affecting land use (water & land resources planning, regulating, licensing)
• While requiring 8-step decision process that begins with question…
Will the action occur in or affect the 100-year Base Floodplain?
EO 13690: FFRMS
EO 13690: FFRMS
What if?
EO 13690: FFRMS
100-year Base Floodplain
“FFRMS Floodplain”New elevations defined agency-by-agency with each using 1 of 3 possible approaches to more account for sea level rise and storm intensity/frequency as associated with climate change:
• Climate-informed Science Approach• Freeboard Approach (Base + 2’ (Critical Action +3’))• 500-year Elevation Approach
New EO announces new Fed policy and standard for Fed actions in floodplains and establishes (and de facto expands) definition of floodplain beyond that used in implementing the original EO.
Largely undefined and speculative, but what about:
• Rates and floodplain management requirements under the NFIP?
• Impacts on Fed (CoE) water projects?
• Fed permitting, licensing, approvals, real estate actions?
• FHA and HUD housing programs?
• CWA permitting (under WOTUS, all waters in floodplains are Fed jurisdictional)?
• ESA Section 7 Consultation (floodplain identified as critical habitat for many listed species)?
• DOT FHWA projects, USDA?
New Standard for defining “floodplain” expands horizontal/vertical dimensions thus expanding the number of Fed actions to be taken.
EO 13690: FFRMS
EO 13690: FFRMS
FEMA (Chair)-USDA-Commerce-DOD-DOE-EPA-GSA-HHS-DHS-HUD-DOI-DOJ-SBA-DOT-EOP – NSC-OSTP-CEQ-OMB-Local, State, Tribal Govts?-Private Industry and NGOs?
Non-federal input…
EO 13690: FFRMS
November 2014 Internal Draft of FFRMS Implementation Guidelines
“Please identify any non-governmental organizations or individuals that had any role whatsoever in composing, editing, drafting, reviewing or developing any part of the FFRMS…”
-Letter to the President from Sen. Thad Cochran et al, February 6, 2015
EO 13690: FFRMS
• Correspondence
• FY15 Omnibus Sec. 749
• 2015 Hearings (Senate and House Appropriations, House T/I)
• FY16 Appropriations
Capitol Hill: FFRMS
• TWCA• National Levee Issues Alliance• National Waterways Conference• Mississippi Valley FCA• UMIMRA• MO-ARK Association• National Association of Homebuilders• AASHTO• Habitat for Humanity• National Association of Counties• National Association of Realtors• NAFSMA• ALBL• Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance (Greater New Orleans Inc.)
• Association of State Floodplain Managers• NRDC• EDF• The Nature Conservancy
Stakeholders: FFRMS
• Jan 30 Issuance
• 60-day (April 6) Comment Period
• Listening Sessions• March 3: Ames, IA
• March 5: Biloxi, MS
• March 11: Sacramento, CA
• March 11: Norfolk, VA
• TBA: NYC, Washington, DC, Webinar
• Review of Comments
• Revised Implementation Guidelines
• Agency-by-agency guidance/rulemakings
Administration Process: FFRMS
1. The adequacy of the 100-year standard deserves debate. Why was the debate held in secret?
2. Is FFRMS limited to just “simple construction” of Federal facilities? --Corps budgeting justification process?--PL 84-99 eligibility?
(e.g., Dallas Floodway: levee “yes” – internal drainage “no”) --NFIP?--USDOT Highways?--USDA assistance?--ESA?--CWA?
3. Analyses on Economic impacts…? Alternatives…? Net benefits?
4. The Standard was the critical and irrevocable decision.
5. The secret top-down means conflict with the FRM: “shared risks-shared solutions” ends.
Questions: FFRMS
