44 C.F.R. PART 78—FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE
Title 44 - Emergency Management and Assistance
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.; 42 U.S.C. 4104c, 4104d; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978, 43 FR 41943, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 329; E.O. 12127 of Mar. 31, 1979, 44 FR 19367, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 376.
Source: 62 FR 13347, Mar. 20, 1997, unless otherwise noted.
(a) The purpose of this part is to prescribe actions, procedures, and requirements for administration of the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program, authorized by Sections 1366 and 1367 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, 42 U.S.C. 4104c and 4104d. (b) The purpose of FMA is to assist State and local governments in funding cost-effective actions that reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to buildings, manufactured homes, and other insurable structures. The long-term goal of FMA is to reduce or eliminate claims under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through mitigation activities. The program provides cost-shared grants for three purposes: Planning Grants to States and communities to assess the flood risk and identify actions to reduce that risk; Project Grants to execute measures to reduce flood losses; and Technical Assistance Grants that States may use to assist communities to develop viable FMA applications and implement FMA projects. FMA also outlines a process for development and approval of Flood Mitigation Plans. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this part, the definitions set forth in part 59 of this subchapter are applicable to this part. (b) Community means: (1) A political subdivision, including any Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization or Alaskan native village or authorized native organization, that has zoning and building code jurisdiction over a particular area having special flood hazards, and is participating in the NFIP; or (2) A political subdivision of a State, or other authority, that is designated to develop and administer a mitigation plan by political subdivisions, all of which meet the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section. (a) Federal. The Director will allocate available funds to each FEMA Region. The FEMA Regional Director will: (1) Allocate Technical Assistance and Planning Grants to each State through the annual Cooperative Agreements; (2) Approve Flood Mitigation Plans in accordance with §78.6; and (3) Award all FMA project grants, after evaluating applications for minimum eligibility criteria and ensuring compliance with applicable Federal laws. (b) State. The State will serve as grantee through the State Point of Contact (POC) designated by the Governor. The POC must have working knowledge of NFIP goals and processes and will ensure that FMA is coordinated with other mitigation activities at the State level. If a Governor chooses not to identify a POC to coordinate the FMA, communities may follow alternative procedures as described in §78.14. States will: (1) Provide technical assistance to communities to assist them in developing applications and implementing approved applications; (2) Award planning grants; (3) Submit plans to the FEMA Regional Director for approval; (4) Evaluate project applications, selecting projects to forward to the FEMA Regional Director for final approval; and (5) Submit performance and financial reports to FEMA in compliance with 44 CFR 13.40 and 13.41. (c) Community. The community will: (1) Complete and submit applications to the State POC for the Planning and Projects Grants; (2) Prepare and submit the Flood Mitigation Plan; (3) Implement all approved projects; (4) Comply with FMA requirements, 44 CFR parts 13 and 14, the grant agreement, applicable Federal, State and local laws and regulations (as applicable); and (5) Account for the appropriate use of grant funds to the State POC. (a) The State is eligible to apply for grants for Technical Assistance. (b) State agencies and communities are eligible to apply for Planning and Project Grants and to act as subgrantee. Communities on probation or suspended under 44 CFR part 60 of the NFIP are not eligible. To be eligible for Project Grants, an eligible applicant will develop, and have approved by the FEMA Regional Director, a Flood Mitigation Plan in accordance with §78.5. A Flood Mitigation Plan will articulate a comprehensive strategy for implementing technically feasible flood mitigation activities for the area affected by the plan. At a minimum, plans will include the following elements: (a) Description of the planning process and public involvement. Public involvement may include workshops, public meetings, or public hearings. (b) Description of the existing flood hazard and identification of the flood risk, including estimates of the number and type of structures at risk, repetitive loss properties, and the extent of flood depth and damage potential. (c) The applicant's floodplain management goals for the area covered by the plan. (d) Identification and evaluation of cost-effective and technically feasible mitigation actions considered. (e) Presentation of the strategy for reducing flood risks and continued compliance with the NFIP, and procedures for ensuring implementation, reviewing progress, and recommending revisions to the plan. (f) Documentation of formal plan adoption by the legal entity submitting the plan (e.g., Governor, Mayor, County Executive). The State POC will forward all Flood Mitigation Plans to the FEMA Regional Director for approval. The Regional Director will notify the State POC of the approval or disapproval of the plan within 120 days after submission. If the Regional Director does not approve a mitigation plan, the Regional Director will notify the State POC of the reasons for non-approval and offer suggestions for improvement. States will apply for Technical Assistance and Planning Grants through the annual Cooperative Agreement between FEMA and the State. The State POC will be notified regarding their available funds for project grants each fiscal year. The State may forward project applications to FEMA for review at any time. (a) The Director will allocate the available funds for FMA each fiscal year. Each State will receive a base amount of $10,000 for Planning Grants and $100,000 for Project Grants, with the remaining funds distributed based on the number of NFIP policies, repetitive loss structures, and other such criteria as the Director may determine in furtherance of the disaster resistant community concept. (b) A maximum of $1,500,000 may be allocated for Planning Grants nationally each fiscal year. A Planning Grant will not be awarded to a State or community more than once every 5 years, and an individual Planning Grant will not exceed $150,000 to any State agency applicant, or $50,000 to any community applicant. The total Planning Grant made in any fiscal year to any State, including all communities located in the State, will not exceed $300,000. (c) A maximum of ten percent of the funds available for Project Grants will be allocated to Technical Assistance grants each fiscal year. (d) The total amount of FMA Project Grant funds provided during any 5-year period will not exceed $10,000,000 to any State or $3,300,000 to any community. The total amount of Project Grant funds provided to any State, including all communities located in the State will not exceed $20,000,000 during any 5-year period. The State POC will evaluate and approve applications for Planning Grants. Funds will be provided only for the flood portion of any mitigation plan, and Planning Grants will not be awarded to develop new or improved floodplain maps. The performance period for each Planning Grant will not exceed 3 years. The State POC will solicit applications from eligible applicants, review projects for eligibility, and select applications for funding. Those project applications will then be forwarded to FEMA for final approval. FEMA will provide funding on a project by project basis through a supplement to the annual Cooperative Agreement. The FEMA Regional Director will notify States regarding the program schedule at the beginning of each fiscal year. The identification of a project or activity in an approved Flood Mitigation Plan does not mean it meets FMA eligibility criteria. Projects must: (a) Be cost-effective, not costing more than the anticipated value of the reduction in both direct damages and subsequent negative impacts to the area if future floods were to occur. Both costs and benefits are computed on a net present value basis. (b) Be in conformance with 44 CFR part 9, Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands; Executive Order 12699, Seismic Safety of Federal and Federally Assisted or Regulated New Building Construction; 44 CFR part 10, Environmental Considerations; and any applicable environmental laws and regulations. (c) Be technically feasible. (d) Be in conformance with the minimum standards of the NFIP Floodplain Management Regulations at 44 CFR part 60. (e) Be in conformance with the Flood Mitigation Plan; the type of project being proposed must be identified in the plan. (f) Be located physically in a participating NFIP community that is not on probation or must benefit such community directly by reducing future flood damages. The following types of projects are eligible for funding through FMA, providing they meet all other eligibility criteria. (a) Acquisition of insured structures and underlying real property in fee simple and easements restricting real property to open space uses. (b) Relocation of insured structures from acquired or restricted real property to non hazard-prone sites. (c) Demolition and removal of insured structures on acquired or restricted real property. (d) Elevation of insured residential structures in accordance with 44 CFR 60.3. (e) Elevation or dry floodproofing of insured non-residential structures in accordance with 44 CFR 60.3. (f) Other activities that bring an insured structure into compliance with the floodplain management requirements at 44 CFR 60.3. (g) Minor physical flood mitigation projects that reduce localized flooding problems and do not duplicate the flood prevention activities of other Federal agencies. (h) Beach nourishment activities. (a) FEMA may contribute up to 75 percent of the total eligible costs of each grant. At least 25 percent of the total eligible costs will be provided from a nonFederal source. Of this amount, not more than one half will be provided from in-kind contributions. Allowable costs will be governed by OMB Circular A–87 and 44 CFR part 13. (b) The grantee must submit performance and financial reports to FEMA and must ensure that all subgrantees are aware of their responsibilities under 44 CFR parts 13 and 14. (c) FEMA will recapture any funds provided to a State or a community under FMA and deposit the amounts in the National Flood Mitigation Fund if the applicant has not provided the appropriate matching funds, the approved project has not been completed within the timeframes specified in the grant agreement, or the completed project does not meet the criteria specified in the regulations in this part. For the purposes of this part, alternative procedures are available which allow the community to coordinate directly with FEMA in implementing the program. These alternative procedures are available in the following circumstances. Native American tribes or authorized tribal organizations may submit plans and applications to the State POC or directly to the FEMA Regional Director. If a Governor chooses not to identify a POC to coordinate the FMA, communities may also submit plans and applications to the FEMA Regional Director.
Title 44: Emergency Management and Assistance
PART 78—FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE
Section Contents
§ 78.1 Purpose.
§ 78.2 Definitions.
§ 78.3 Responsibilities.
§ 78.4 Applicant eligibility.
§ 78.5 Flood Mitigation Plan development.
§ 78.6 Flood Mitigation Plan approval process.
§ 78.7 Grant application procedures.
§ 78.8 Grant funding limitations.
§ 78.9 Planning grant approval process.
§ 78.10 Project grant approval process.
§ 78.11 Minimum project eligibility criteria.
§ 78.12 Eligible types of projects.
§ 78.13 Grant administration.
§ 78.14 Alternative procedures.
§ 78.1 Purpose.
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§ 78.2 Definitions.
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§ 78.3 Responsibilities.
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§ 78.4 Applicant eligibility.
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§ 78.5 Flood Mitigation Plan development.
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§ 78.6 Flood Mitigation Plan approval process.
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§ 78.7 Grant application procedures.
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§ 78.8 Grant funding limitations.
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§ 78.9 Planning grant approval process.
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§ 78.10 Project grant approval process.
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§ 78.11 Minimum project eligibility criteria.
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§ 78.12 Eligible types of projects.
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§ 78.13 Grant administration.
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§ 78.14 Alternative procedures.
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