May 24, 2017
ASFPM & CSO Release Interactive CRS “Green Guide”
By News Editor
Ask your average floodplain manager about the Community Rating System, and they will typically tell you that earning credit does two things. One, it makes your community more resilient to flooding, and two, it earns discounts for flood insurance policyholders. But the benefits of participating in this federal incentive program go far beyond reducing flood
April 27, 2017
Draft NFIP Nationwide Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Published
By News Editor
FEMA published a draft NFIP Nationwide Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement April 7 for public comment. The EIS process is required by the National Environmental Policy Act to thoroughly address the environmental consequences of major federal actions that could significantly affect the environment. The draft would update the original EIS for the NFIP developed in 1976.
April 25, 2017
Funding for National Flood Mapping Program Threatened
By News Editor
When the Trump Administration announced its “skinny” budget March 16, flood risk professionals learned that all funding for flood mapping and a substantial amount of pre-disaster mitigation grant funding were being cut. ASFPM did urge our membership to contact their members of Congress and explain why they needed to protect these programs. A smaller group
March 29, 2017
FEMA IAA announce some NFIP rate changes
By News Editor
Intergovernmental Affairs Advisory – As previously announced on Sept. 27, 2016, key changes being made to the National Flood Insurance Program on April 1, 2017 include updated insurance policy premium increases conforming to the premium rate caps established by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (BW-12) and the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act
March 21, 2017
Sample template for emailing or faxing your Congress member to save flood mapping program
By News Editor
Below is a template email/fax you can use, and feel free to modify as you see fit (especiallythose elements in blue font in brackets). In the House, you need to make this request by April 1. While the Senate does not yet have a deadline, we still urge you to let them know where you
March 17, 2017
ASFPM Opposes President’s FY18 Federal Budget
By News Editor
President Trump just released his proposed FY18 federal budget and ASFPM opposes it. The budget fails to make America safer from natural disasters, especially floods, the leading cause of disasters in this nation. The budget cuts myriad federal programs in FEMA, HUD, Corps of Engineers, NOAA, EPA and USDA that communities and states use to
March 16, 2017
Berginnis Testifies before Subcommittee of the House Financial Services
By News Editor
The Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance of the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing today (March 16) on reauthorization of the NFIP called “Flood Insurance Reform: A Community Perspective.” ASFPM Executive Director Chad Berginnis will be testifying, along with Melissa H. Luckman, Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor of Law, Director of the Disaster Relief
March 3, 2017
Larson Testifies at Senate Committee Hearing on Flood Control Infrastructure
By News Editor
ASFPM Policy Advisor Larry Larson testified March 1 on flood control infrastructure before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The hearing was convened after the near auxiliary spillway failure at Oroville Dam in California. A good majority of Larson’s testimony focused on the fact that the public is not aware of “residual risk” when
March 3, 2017
Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate Releases Second Annual Report
By News Editor
The Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate advocates for the fair treatment of policyholders and property owners by providing education and guidance on all aspects of the National FloodInsurance Program, identifying trends affecting the public, and making recommendations for program improvements to Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration leadership. In its second year of operations, the
March 3, 2017
Chinese Water Resources Officials Visit New Jersey Borough
By News Editor
Keyport, New Jersey hosted a delegation visiting from the Water Resources Department ofGuangdong Province, China Feb. 24. The purpose of the visit was to demonstrate floodplain management in practice at the community level, which China is actively trying to enhance. D. George Guo of Rutgers University deserves a great deal of credit for coordinating this