[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54019-54021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25784]


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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY


Cooperating Technical Communities

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

ACTION: Notice of Cooperating Technical Communities flood hazard 
mapping initiative.

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SUMMARY: We (FEMA) give notice of the Cooperating Technical Communities 
initiative that will recognize and encourage participation by states, 
regional agencies, and communities in the flood hazard mapping process.

DATES: Pilot projects are ongoing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Your FEMA Regional Cooperating 
Technical Communities Coordinator. We list contact names for the 
coordinators under Section 5 of this document.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

     FEMA administers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and 
under Sec. 1360 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended 
(42 U.S.C. 4101), we establish and update flood-risk zone data in 
floodplain areas. In the identification of flood-prone areas, we may 
consult with, receive information from, and enter into agreements or 
other arrangements with the head of any State, regional, or local 
agency in order to identify these floodplain areas.
    We are implementing the Cooperating Technical Communities (CTC) 
concept as part of our Flood Map Modernization plan (http://
www.fema.gov/library/mapmod.pdf). The CTC initiative will formally 
recognize and encourage the ongoing contributions that our mapping 
partners--States, regional agencies, and communities--make in assisting 
us in providing timely and accurate flood hazard information. The 
participating entity will enter into a partnership agreement with us to 
develop or maintain all or a component of its flood hazard maps.
    CTC partnerships will maximize the effectiveness of the limited 
local and Federal funding available for flood mapping, while 
maintaining consistent national standards. Through these partnerships, 
the integration of locally-funded or developed flood and mapping data 
in the flood mapping process will enable contributing partners to 
expand the scope of our flood mapping efforts. We expect that this will 
result in enhanced responsibility for the maps by the partners and, in 
turn, heightened local awareness of flood risks, more effective 
floodplain management, and more accurate maps. The Cooperating 
Technical Communities initiative includes both locally-funded and FEMA-
funded activities.
    Under the initiative, the partner will enter a general overall 
agreement (CTC Agreement) with us that recognizes the fundamental 
importance of flood hazard identification, as well as flood insurance 
and floodplain management. Then, as the CTC partner and we identify 
specific flood mapping activities to undertake, we and the CTC partner 
will develop and enter into Mapping Activity Agreements under the 
umbrella of the overall CTC Agreement.
    We envision that most Mapping Activity Agreements will be 
collaborative efforts where both the CTC partner and FEMA contribute 
data and units of work to maximize the extent, accuracy, and utility of 
flood studies to best meet local and Federal needs, while minimizing 
costs for all parties. Federal

[[Page 54020]]

funding will be limited even if we can allocate supplemental map 
modernization funding. In any event, we will allocate funding within 
the context of our flood study prioritization process.
    We will consider Fiscal Years 1999 and 2000 as pilot years for this 
initiative. Initial Guidance is available at http://www.fema.go/mit/
tsd/CTC--main.htm. We anticipate that updated guidance will be 
available in Fiscal Year 2000.

2. Availability of Fiscal Year 1999 Funds

    We set aside $400,000 ($40,000 per Region) for FEMA-funded CTC 
activities in Fiscal Year 1999. We identified partners as potential 
recipients of funding through CTC agreements for this pilot year. We 
based the selection on floodplain mapping needs and on the partners' 
interest, contributions, and their capability to perform the types of 
activities that we identified for the pilot effort.

3. Activities

    All of the activities listed below contain the following benefits 
for both the CTC partner and for FEMA:
     Local capabilities in hazard identification and risk 
assessment--the building blocks for disaster resistance--will be 
enhanced through FEMA technical assistance, experience, standards, and 
funding;
     The data, methods, and mapping used for local, regional, 
and state permitting processes will also be used for NFIP mapping, to 
the extent possible;
     Close coordination and involvement in the flood hazard 
mapping process will result in more efficient local floodplain 
management by the CTC partners;
     The program has the potential to interject a tailored, 
local focus into a national program where unique conditions may exist 
that necessitate special approaches to flood hazard identification.
     By incorporating local knowledge and expertise, FEMA's 
National Flood Insurance Program flood hazard maps will be more 
accurate and can be updated faster;
    Mapping Activity Agreements will support the development of flood 
hazard mapping or a component of the production and maintenance of 
flood hazard mapping. FEMA and the CTC partner will collaborate on 
these mapping activities. FEMA may provide technical assistance, 
support, and data to the CTC partner. In some cases, funding may also 
be available. The following mapping activities may receive funding in 
Fiscal Year 1999 through a cooperative agreement with FEMA:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Activity                    Partner           Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Refinement of Approximate Zone A  Community/Regional/ The CTC partner
 Boundaries.                       State Agency.       works with FEMA
                                                       to perform
                                                       analyses to
                                                       refine Zone A
                                                       boundaries.
                                                       Emphasis placed
                                                       on automation
                                                       techniques.
Hydrologic & Hydraulic (H&H)      Community/Regional/ The CTC partner
 Modeling and Floodplain           State Agency.       develops digital
 Mapping.                                              engineering data
                                                       and floodplain
                                                       mapping using GIS-
                                                       based or
                                                       traditional H&H
                                                       modeling.
DFIRM Preparation...............  Community/Regional/ The CTC partner
                                   State Agency.       digitizes the
                                                       effective FIRM
                                                       into a DFIRM.
Redelineation of Detailed Flood   Community/regional/ The CTC partner
 Hazard Information Using          State Agency.       redelineates the
 Updated Topographic Data.                             effective flood
                                                       hazard
                                                       information using
                                                       more up-to-date
                                                       topographic data.
                                                       GIS is used,
                                                       where available.
Analysis of Community Mapping     Regional/State      The CTC partner
 Needs to support FEMA's Mapping   Agency.             performs a
 Needs Update Support System                           detailed
 (MNUSS).                                              community-by-
                                                       community
                                                       investigation and
                                                       assessment of
                                                       every NFIP
                                                       community's
                                                       mapping needs,
                                                       including flood
                                                       data updates, map
                                                       maintenance, and
                                                       includes unmapped
                                                       communities.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    While we provide no funding to CTC partners for the following 
mapping activities, we may provide technical assistance, support, and 
data to the CTC partner:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Activity                    Partner           Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Base Map Inventory..............  Regional or State   The CTC partner
                                   Agency.             performs an
                                                       investigation and
                                                       provides an
                                                       inventory of base
                                                       maps meeting
                                                       FEMA's
                                                       specifications
                                                       for NFIP
                                                       communities in
                                                       the state.
Digital Base Map Data Sharing.    Community/Regional/ The CTC partner
                                    State Agency.      supplies a base
                                                       map for DFIRM
                                                       production. The
                                                       base map will
                                                       comply with
                                                       FEMA's minimum
                                                       accuracy
                                                       requirements and
                                                       be distributable
                                                       by FEMA to the
                                                       public (hardcopy
                                                       and electronic
                                                       formats).
DFIRM Maintenance...............  Community/Regional/ The CTC partner
                                   State Agency.       assumes
                                                       responsibility
                                                       for long-term,
                                                       periodic
                                                       maintenance of
                                                       the DFIRM.
Hydrologic and Hydraulic Review   Community/          The CTC partner
 Agreement.                        Regional/State      evaluates H&H
                                   Agency.             studies prepared
                                                       for flood data
                                                       updates and/or 44
                                                       CFR Part 65 map
                                                       revisions. The
                                                       review will focus
                                                       on compliance
                                                       with the
                                                       technical and
                                                       regulatory
                                                       requirements
                                                       contained in
                                                       FEMA's various
                                                       flood mapping
                                                       guidelines and
                                                       specifications,
                                                       the pertinent
                                                       NFIP flood
                                                       mapping
                                                       regulations, as
                                                       well as standard
                                                       accepted
                                                       engineering
                                                       practices.

[[Page 54021]]

 
Technical Standards Agreement...  Community/          Adoption of
                                   Regional/State      specific
                                   Agency.             technical
                                                       standards or
                                                       processes
                                                       appropriate for
                                                       local conditions
                                                       for NFIP flood
                                                       mapping purposes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Eligibility Criteria

    The cooperative agreements (CAs) awarded in this effort are 
intended to supplement and not supplant, on-going mapping efforts by 
the community, regional agency, or State. The FEMA funds are in 
addition to the partner's current effort. This is the first year of 
this initiative and the FEMA Regional Offices have selected pilot 
communities based on the following criteria:
    (a) The CTC partner must have existing processes or systems in 
place that support mapping or data collection activities that 
contribute to flood hazard identification. These ongoing processes or 
systems must be supported by non-federal funding.
    (b) The CTC partner must have demonstrated the capability to 
perform the mapping activities for which it is applying.
    (c) The CTC partner must be a community participating in the NFIP, 
and be in good standing in the program as determined by the FEMA 
Regional Office, or be a State or regional agency that serves 
communities that participate in the NFIP.
    These criteria, which have been used in this pilot year, will be 
evaluated by FEMA and further enhanced in subsequent years. In addition 
to the selection criteria above, communities that receive a CA must be 
able to perform the financial management activities required as part of 
the cooperative agreement (i.e., account for federal funds, prepare 
financial reports). FEMA regional offices will assist the communities 
with these financial management activities.

5. Cooperating Technical Community Contacts

    Region 1: (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode 
Island, Vermont), Dean Savramis, 442 J.W. McCormack POCH, Boston, MA 
02109, Telephone: (617) 223-9564, (email) [email protected].
    Region 2: (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands), Paul 
Weberg, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 1337, New York, NY 10278, (212) 225-
7229, (email) [email protected].
    Region 3: (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West 
Virginia, District of Columbia), Erik Rourke, 615 Chestnut Street, 6th 
Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106, (215) 931-5665, (email) 
[email protected].
    Region 4: (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee), Bel Marquez, 3003 Chamblee Tucker 
Rd., Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: (770) 220-5436, (email) 
[email protected].
    Region 5: (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, 
Wisconsin), Ken Hinterlong, 536 S. Clark Street, 6th Floor, Chicago, IL 
60605, Telephone: (312) 408-5529, (email) [email protected].
    Region 6: (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas), Jack 
Quarles, FRC 800 North Loop 288, Denton, TX 76210, Telephone: (817) 
898-5156, (email) [email protected].
    Region 7: (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska), Bob Franke, 2323 
Grand Avenue, Suite 900, Kansas City, MO 64108, Telephone: (816) 283-
7073, (email) [email protected]
    Region 8: (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, 
Wyoming), John Liou, Denver Federal Center, Bldg. 710, Box 25267, 
Denver, CO 80225, Telephone: (303) 235-4836, [email protected].
    Region 9: (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, 
Guam), Les Sakumoto, Bldg. 105, Presidio of San Francisco, San 
Francisco, CA 94129, Telephone: (415) 923-7183, (email) 
[email protected].
    Region 10: (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington), Larry Basich, 
Federal Regional Center, 130--228th Street, Bothell, WA 98021, 
Telephone: (425) 487-4703, (email) [email protected].

    Dated: September 23, 1999.
Robert F. Shea, Jr.,
Acting Associate Director for Mitigation.
[FR Doc. 99-25784 Filed 10-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-04-P