[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 20, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 92694-92696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30533]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

44 CFR Part 64

[Docket ID FEMA-2016-0002; Internal Agency Docket No. FEMA-8461]


Suspension of Community Eligibility

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule identifies communities where the sale of flood 
insurance has been authorized under the National Flood Insurance 
Program (NFIP) that are scheduled for suspension on the effective dates 
listed within this rule because of noncompliance with the floodplain 
management requirements of the program. If the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA) receives documentation that the community has 
adopted the required floodplain management measures prior to the 
effective suspension date given in this rule, the suspension will not 
occur and a notice of this will be provided by publication in the 
Federal Register on a subsequent date. Also, information identifying 
the current participation status of a community can be obtained from 
FEMA's Community Status Book (CSB). The CSB is available at https://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-status-book.

DATES: The effective date of each community's scheduled suspension is 
the third date (``Susp.'') listed in the third column of the following 
tables.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you want to determine whether a 
particular community was suspended on the suspension date or for 
further information, contact Patricia Suber, Federal Insurance and 
Mitigation Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 400 C 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20472, (202) 646-4149.

[[Page 92695]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NFIP enables property owners to purchase 
Federal flood insurance that is not otherwise generally available from 
private insurers. In return, communities agree to adopt and administer 
local floodplain management measures aimed at protecting lives and new 
construction from future flooding. Section 1315 of the National Flood 
Insurance Act of 1968, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4022, prohibits the sale 
of NFIP flood insurance unless an appropriate public body adopts 
adequate floodplain management measures with effective enforcement 
measures. The communities listed in this document no longer meet that 
statutory requirement for compliance with program regulations, 44 CFR 
part 59. Accordingly, the communities will be suspended on the 
effective date in the third column. As of that date, flood insurance 
will no longer be available in the community. We recognize that some of 
these communities may adopt and submit the required documentation of 
legally enforceable floodplain management measures after this rule is 
published but prior to the actual suspension date. These communities 
will not be suspended and will continue to be eligible for the sale of 
NFIP flood insurance. A notice withdrawing the suspension of such 
communities will be published in the Federal Register.
    In addition, FEMA publishes a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) that 
identifies the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) in these communities. 
The date of the FIRM, if one has been published, is indicated in the 
fourth column of the table. No direct Federal financial assistance 
(except assistance pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act not in connection with a flood) may be 
provided for construction or acquisition of buildings in identified 
SFHAs for communities not participating in the NFIP and identified for 
more than a year on FEMA's initial FIRM for the community as having 
flood-prone areas (section 202(a) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act 
of 1973, 42 U.S.C. 4106(a), as amended). This prohibition against 
certain types of Federal assistance becomes effective for the 
communities listed on the date shown in the last column. The 
Administrator finds that notice and public comment procedures under 5 
U.S.C. 553(b), are impracticable and unnecessary because communities 
listed in this final rule have been adequately notified.
    Each community receives 6-month, 90-day, and 30-day notification 
letters addressed to the Chief Executive Officer stating that the 
community will be suspended unless the required floodplain management 
measures are met prior to the effective suspension date. Since these 
notifications were made, this final rule may take effect within less 
than 30 days.
    National Environmental Policy Act. FEMA has determined that the 
community suspension(s) included in this rule is a non-discretionary 
action and therefore the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) does not apply.
    Regulatory Flexibility Act. The Administrator has determined that 
this rule is exempt from the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act because the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended, 
Section 1315, 42 U.S.C. 4022, prohibits flood insurance coverage unless 
an appropriate public body adopts adequate floodplain management 
measures with effective enforcement measures. The communities listed no 
longer comply with the statutory requirements, and after the effective 
date, flood insurance will no longer be available in the communities 
unless remedial action takes place.
    Regulatory Classification. This final rule is not a significant 
regulatory action under the criteria of section 3(f) of Executive Order 
12866 of September 30, 1993, Regulatory Planning and Review, 58 FR 
51735.
    Executive Order 13132, Federalism. This rule involves no policies 
that have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132.
    Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform. This rule meets the 
applicable standards of Executive Order 12988.
    Paperwork Reduction Act. This rule does not involve any collection 
of information for purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.

List of Subjects in 44 CFR Part 64

    Flood insurance, Floodplains.

    Accordingly, 44 CFR part 64 is amended as follows:

PART 64--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for Part 64 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 
1978, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp.; p. 329; E.O. 12127, 44 FR 19367, 3 CFR, 
1979 Comp.; p. 376.


Sec.  64.6   [Amended]

0
2. The tables published under the authority of Sec.  64.6 are amended 
as follows:

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                                               Effective date
                                               authorization/
                                 Community    cancellation of                               Date certain Federal
      State and location            No.        sale of flood    Current effective map date  assistance no longer
                                                insurance in                                 available in SFHAs
                                                 community
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          Region VI
 
Texas:
    Baytown, City of,                485456  July 17, 1970,     January 6, 2017...........  January 6, 2017.
     Chambers and Harris                      Emerg; July 1,
     Counties.                                1974, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Deer Park, City of,              480291  February 22,       * ......do................   Do.
     Harris County.                           1974, Emerg;
                                              August 15, 1980,
                                              Reg; January 6,
                                              2017, Susp.
    El Lago, City of, Harris         485466  August 14, 1970,   ......do..................   Do.
     County.                                  Emerg; July 2,
                                              1971, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Galena Park, City of,            480293  November 29,       ......do..................   Do.
     Harris County.                           1974, Emerg;
                                              November 2,
                                              1982, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Harris County,                   480287  May 14, 1970,      ......do..................   Do.
     Unincorporated Areas.                    Emerg; May 26,
                                              1970, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Houston, City of, Fort           480296  September 14,      ......do..................   Do.
     Bend, Harris and                         1973, Emerg;
     Montgomery Counties.                     December 11,
                                              1979, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Jacinto City, City of,           480299  September 4,       ......do..................   Do.
     Harris County.                           1975, Emerg;
                                              September 2,
                                              1981, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.

[[Page 92696]]

 
    La Porte, City of, Harris        485487  August 28, 1970,   ......do..................   Do.
     County.                                  Emerg; February
                                              12, 1971, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Morgans Point, City of,          480305  July 7, 1975,      ......do..................   Do.
     Harris County.                           Emerg; December
                                              1, 1983, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Nassau Bay, City of,             485491  July 24, 1970,     ......do..................   Do.
     Harris County.                           Emerg; November
                                              13, 1970, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Pasadena, City of, Harris        480307  July 2, 1971,      ......do..................   Do.
     County.                                  Emerg; May 26,
                                              1970, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Pearland, City of,               480077  December 19,       ......do..................   Do.
     Brazoria, Fort Bend and                  1973, Emerg;
     Harris Counties.                         July 5, 1984,
                                              Reg; January 6,
                                              2017, Susp.
    Seabrook, City of,               485507  May 29, 1970,      ......do..................   Do.
     Galveston and Harris                     Emerg; April 23,
     Counties.                                1971, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Shoreacres, City of,             485510  September 11,      ......do..................   Do.
     Harris County.                           1970, Emerg;
                                              November 20,
                                              1970, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    South Houston, City of,          480311  April 17, 1975,    ......do..................   Do.
     Harris County.                           Emerg; March 18,
                                              1987, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Taylor Lake Village, City        485513  August 28, 1970,   ......do..................   Do.
     of, Harris County.                       Emerg; November
                                              13, 1970, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
    Webster, City of, Harris         485516  October 30, 1970,  ......do..................   Do.
     County.                                  Emerg; May 19,
                                              1972, Reg;
                                              January 6, 2017,
                                              Susp.
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* ......do = Ditto.
Code for reading third column: Emerg.--Emergency; Reg.--Regular; Susp.--Suspension.


    Dated: December 12, 2016.
Michael M. Grimm,
Assistant Administrator for Mitigation, Federal Insurance and 
Mitigation Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2016-30533 Filed 12-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-12-P