[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 150 (Thursday, August 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47731-47733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19707]


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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 (e) of this document.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (a) Background. Throughout this notice, the 
terms ``we,'' ``our,'' and ``us,'' refers to FEMA. We administer 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, we and the partner will enter a general 
overall agreement (CTC Agreement) 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 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 Year 2000 as a pilot year for this 
initiative. Initial Guidance is available at http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/CTC_main.htm.
    (b) Availability of Fiscal Year 2000 Funds.
    We have set aside $3,500,000 to be available for FEMA-funded CTC 
activities in Fiscal Year 2000. We have 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.
    (c) 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 per mitting 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, we expect 
that National Flood Insurance Program flood hazard maps will be more 
accurate and can be updated faster than now.
    Mapping Activity Agreements will support the development of flood 
hazard mapping or a component of the production and maintenance of 
flood hazard mapping. The CTC partner and we will collaborate on these 
mapping activities. We 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 
2000 through a cooperative agreement with us:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Activity                             Partner                            Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Refinement of Approximate Zone A        Community/Regional/State        The CTC partner works with FEMA to
 Boundaries.                             Agency.                         perform analyses to refine Zone A
                                                                         boundaries. Emphasis placed on
                                                                         automation techniques.
Hydrologic & Hydraulic (H&H) Modeling   Community/Regional/State        The CTC partner develops digital
 and Floodplain Mapping.                 Agency.                         engineering data and floodplain mapping
                                                                         using GIS-based or traditiional H&H
                                                                         modeling.

[[Page 47732]]

 
DFIRM Preparation.....................  Community/Regional/State        The CTC partner digitizes the effective
                                         Agency.                         FIRM into a DFIRM.
Redelineation of Detailed Flood Hazard  Community/Regional/State        The CTC partner redelineates the
 Information Using Updated Topographic   Agency.                         effective flood hazard information
 Data.                                                                   using more up-to-date topographic data.
                                                                         GIS is used, where available.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Where no funding will be provided to CTC partners for the following 
mapping activities, we may provide techical assistance, support, and 
data to the CTC partner:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Activity                            Partner                           Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Base Map Inventory......................  Regional or State Agency...  The CTC partner 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/State     The CTC partner supplies a base map for
                                           Agency.                      DFIRM production. The base map will
                                                                        comply with FEMP's minimum accuracy
                                                                        requirements and be distributable by
                                                                        FEMA to the public (hardcopy and
                                                                        electronic formats).
DFIRM Maintenance.......................  Community/Regional/State     The CTC partner assumes responsibility
                                           Agency.                      for long-term, periodic maintenance of
                                                                        the DFIRM. This can include base map and/
                                                                        or flood information.
Hydrologic and Hydraulic Review           Community/Regional/State     The CTC partner evaluates H&H studies
 Agreement \1\.                            Agency.                      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 varous flood mapping
                                                                        guidelines and specifications, the
                                                                        pertinent NFIP flood mapping
                                                                        regulations, as well as standard
                                                                        accepted engineering practices.
Analysis of Community Mapping Needs (to   Regional/State Agency......  The CTC partner performs a detailed
 support FEMNA's Mapping Needs Update                                   community-by-community investigation and
 Support System (MNUSS)).                                               assessment of every NFIP community's
                                                                        mapping needs, including flood data
                                                                        updates, map maintenance, and includes
                                                                        unmapped communities. (This activity was
                                                                        eligible for funding in FY 1999, but is
                                                                        no longer eligible for funding).
Technical Standards Agreement...........  Community/Regional/State     Adoption of specific technical standards
                                           Agency.                      or processes appropriate for local
                                                                        conditions for NFIP flood mapping
                                                                        purposes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This activity is currently being considered as a pilot activity.

    (d) Eligibility Criteria.
    We intend the cooperative agreements (CAs) awarded in this effort 
to supplement and not supplant on-going mapping efforts by the 
community, regional agency, or State. The FEMA funds would be in 
addition to the partner's current effort. This is the second year of 
this initiative and our Regional Offices have selected pilot 
communities based on the following criteria:
    (1) 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.
    (2) The CTC partner must have demonstrated the capability to 
perform the mapping activities for which it is applying.
    (3) The CTC partner must be a community participating in the NFIP, 
and be in good standing in the program as determined by our Regional 
Office, or be a State or regional agency that serves communities that 
participate in the NFIP.
    We will evaluate these criteria, which have been used in this pilot 
year, and we will further enhance them 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). Our regional offices will assist the communities 
with these financial management activities.
    (e) 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, (e:mail) [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, (e:mail) [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, (e:mail) 
[email protected].
    Region 4: (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee), Laura Algeo, 3003 Chamblee Tucker 
Rd., Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: (770) 220-5436, (e:mail) 
[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, (e:mail) [email protected].
    Region 6: (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas), Jack 
Quarles, FRC 800 North Loop 288, Denton, TX 76210, Telephone: (817) 
898-5156, (e:mail) [email protected].
    Region 7: (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska), Bob Franke, 2323 
Grand Avenue, Suite 900, Kansas City, MO 64108, Telephone: (816) 283-
7073, (e:mail) [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, (e:mail) 
[email protected].
    Region 9: (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, 
Guam), Les Sakumoto, Bldg. 105, Presidio of San Francisco, San

[[Page 47733]]

Francisco, CA 94129, Telephone: (415) 923-7183, (e:mail) 
[email protected].
    Region 10: (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington), Larry Basich, 
Federal Regional Center, 130--228th Street, Bothell, WA 98021, 
Telephone: (425) 487-4703, (e:mail) [email protected].

    Dated: July 19, 2000.
Michael J. Armstrong,
Associate Director for Mitigation.
[FR Doc. 00-19707 Filed 8-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-04-P