[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 164 (Friday, August 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48238-48239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18456]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2021-0021]


Notice of Public Meeting on the National Flood Insurance 
Program's Community Rating System

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland 
Security (DHS).

ACTION: Announcement of open public meetings.

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SUMMARY: FEMA will hold three public meetings remotely via web 
conference to solicit public feedback about the National Flood 
Insurance Program's (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) program. FEMA 
is issuing this public meeting notice to inform the public that it is 
seeking input on the NFIP's CRS program for the agency to consider ways 
to modify, streamline, and/or innovate to improve the program. These 
efforts aim to help FEMA ensure that the CRS program includes 
necessary, properly tailored, and up-to-date requirements that 
effectively achieve the goals of (1) reducing and avoiding flood damage 
to insurable property, (2) strengthening and supporting the insurance 
aspects of the NFIP, and (3) encouraging a comprehensive approach to 
floodplain management.

DATES: Written comments in response to these public meetings may be 
submitted until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on September 22, 2021. 
Late-filed comments will be considered to the extent practicable.
    FEMA will hold meetings on:
    Tuesday, September 7, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. ET;
    Wednesday, September 8, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. ET; and
    Thursday, September 9, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. ET.
    Depending on the number of speakers, the meetings may end before 
the time indicated, following the last call for comments.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held via web conference. Members 
of the public may register to attend the meetings online at the 
following link: https://cgstrategy.zoom.us/webinar/register/6716294728533/WN_BTf89PgaQhOZL-TonhxNog.
    Reasonable accommodations are available for people with 
disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact the person 
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section below as soon as 
possible. Last minute requests will be accepted but may not be possible 
to fulfill. Written comments related to these public meetings must be 
submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov/. Search for FEMA-2021-0021 and follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. All written comments received, 
including any personal information provided, may be posted without 
alteration at https://www.regulations.gov. All comments on the request 
for information made during the meetings will be posted to https://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID FEMA-2021-0021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Sears, Supervisory Emergency 
Management Specialist, Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, [email protected], 202-
212-3800.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NFIP's CRS program is a voluntary 
incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain 
management practices that exceed the minimum requirements of the NFIP 
for floodplain management. As FEMA undertakes a series of initiatives 
that will transform the NFIP, the agency is evaluating the CRS program 
and its potential to support FEMA, State, local, Tribal, and 
territorial community goals and needs.
    FEMA is committed to obtaining public input to drive and focus 
FEMA's review of the CRS program. Because Federal regulations and 
policies have broad impacts on society in general, members of the 
public are likely to have useful information, data, and perspectives on 
the benefits and burdens of FEMA's existing programs, regulations, 
information collections, and policies. Accordingly, FEMA is seeking 
specific public feedback to facilitate the CRS program review and 
improvement effort in the context of equity for all, include those in 
underserved communities. With the increasing risk of flooding and flood 
damage, in part because of climate change, it is essential that FEMA 
reevaluate programs to reduce unnecessary barriers to participation and 
effectiveness, to serve all communities, to increase equity, and to 
promote preparedness.
    As part of FEMA's review of the CRS program, we published a RFI on 
Monday, August 23, 2021at 86 FR 47128. FEMA is seeking input through 
this RFI on ways the agency can improve the CRS program: (1) To better 
align the CRS program with the improved understanding of flood risk and 
flood risk approaches that have developed since the program's 
inception; (2) to better incentivize communities and policyholders to 
become more resilient and to not only manage, but to lower their 
vulnerability to flood risk; and (3) to support the sound financial 
framework of the NFIP.
    While the CRS program today has evolved, the overall approach and 
framework of the program has been the same since the start of the 
program. As FEMA undertakes many initiatives that will transform the 
NFIP, the agency is also evaluating the CRS program and its potential 
to support FEMA, State government, Tribal government, and community 
goals and needs. While the agency has made incremental changes since 
the CRS program's implementation, the agency is seeking input to 
further improve the program through additional programmatic changes. 
With the continuous learning around flood, flood risk management, and 
flood risk reduction techniques, FEMA now has more information about 
and understanding of multi-frequency analysis, pluvial flooding, 
climate change, and the extent of flood risk outside of the SFHA. FEMA 
seeks to make larger improvements within our programs based on these 
developments and is now taking a holistic look at the CRS program to 
determine how the program can best meet FEMA and stakeholder needs.

[[Page 48239]]

    The purpose of these public meetings and the RFI is to seek 
feedback on the CRS program. FEMA is holding public meetings to ensure 
that all interested parties have sufficient opportunity to provide 
comments on the CRS program during these meetings and the RFI to 
identify those aspects of the CRS program that may benefit from 
modification, streamlining, or expansion in light of FEMA's improved 
understanding of flood risk and flood risk reduction approaches gained 
since the initiation of the CRS program. FEMA will carefully consider 
all relevant comments received during the meetings and during the RFI 
comment period closing on September 22, 2021. All comments or remarks 
provided on the request for information during the meetings will be 
recorded and posted to the rulemaking docket on https://www.regulations.gov.

Deanne Criswell,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2021-18456 Filed 8-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-47-P