The Public is Invited to Contribute to the next TMAC Meeting Sept. 25-26, 2018

The Public is Invited to Contribute to the next TMAC Meeting
Sept. 25-26, 2018

FEMA’s Technical Mapping Advisory Council will meet at the
U.S. Geological Survey auditorium in Reston, Virginia
Sept. 25-26 and the meeting is open to the public.

TMAC is a federal advisory committee established to review
and make recommendations to FEMA on matters related to the National Flood
Insurance Program’s national flood mapping program. TMAC is authorized under
the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform
Act of 2012 (BW-12) and the Homeowner
Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (HFIAA). Each year the council produces
and submits an annual report to the FEMA administrator with its insights or recommendations
on topics defined by legislation or included in FEMA’s tasking memo for the
year. To view past TMAC reports, or read the summaries and agendas of previous
TMAC meetings, visit TMAC’s website.

In 2018, FEMA asked TMAC to address three topics of key importance
as FEMA considers ways to improve the way flood data
is generated and delivered, redesigns flood-risk rating for insurance coverage,
and evolves its products and services to best meet customer needs. TMAC was
asked to explore and provide insight on the following topics:

Examine how FEMA’s national
flood mapping program may take steps to increase flood insurance coverage nationally.
Explore ways to
communicate the areas of uncertainty and precision associated with the data
models used for FEMA studies and the resulting Special Flood Hazard Areas,
without undermining the communication of flood risk and the perceived credibility
of FEMA’s information.
Explore the criteria
FEMA should consider in prioritizing unmapped areas, considering the need to
create and maintain credible data for more populous areas while inspiring good
mitigation practices nationally.

TMAC may vote at this meeting on
the recommendations to be included in the TMAC 2018 Annual Report and to adopt
the first draft of the 2018 report. To facilitate participation in this
meeting, the council invites the public to provide written comments on the
issues listed above. A summary of TMAC’s 2018 report will be posted by Sept. 15
at www.fema.gov/tmac. Interested individuals may review the concepts and submit
comments to the public docket, FEMA-2014-0022 by Sept. 21, or register to
attend and deliver comments in person by emailing FEMA-TMAC@fema.dhs.gov by
Sept. 19, no later than 11 p.m. EDT. Comments made by members of the
public during the meeting must be limited to three minutes or less. The public
meeting will be held in the auditorium at the USGS facility at 12201 Sunrise
Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192. To register to attend or for more information,
email FEMA-TMAC@fema.dhs.gov.

As mandated in BW-12 and governed by the requirements in the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, TMAC is composed of representatives from
federal, state, local and private sector organizations. The 20 council members
are appointed based on their demonstrated knowledge and competence in surveying,
cartography, remote sensing, geographic information systems, or the technical
aspects of preparing and using Flood Insurance Rate Maps. For additional information
on upcoming TMAC meetings, visit the Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/
and search for TMAC.