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Floodplain
Management and Wetlands Protection
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The
location of lands within designated 100-year floodplains are mapped
by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. For more information on
FEMA floodplain maps.
Flood
Hazard Mapping
Proposed
project sites should be outside the base (i.e. 100-year) floodplain
whenever Federal assistance is requested for the project. Executive
Order 11988 discourages Federal agencies from initiating or participating
in new construction within areas having special flood hazards. Evaluating
projects should consider both potential flood hazard on site as well
as off site resulting from project construction. To determine the
applicability of floodplain management issues to the site, consult
the FEMA Flood Hazard Mapping site to determine whether the proposed
site lies within either Flood Zone A or V—also referred to as the
100-year floodplain. If these issues are relevant to the project,
consult the Environmental Contact in your area to determine how to
best mitigate against these concerns.
Is the property located within a flood hazard area or designated
wetland? . [http://www.fema.gov/about/programs/nfip/index.shtm]
Threshold: Projects located within a floodplain and new construction
located within a designated wetland are subject to Executive Order
11988 (Floodplain Management) and Executive Order 11990 (Protection
of Wetlands) respectively. HUD's implementing regulations at 24 CFR
Part 55--Floodplain Management, prescribe measures for protecting
floodplains and wetlands. For proposed financial assistance for such
activities, including "substantial improvement" (see definition below)
of existing single-family properties within a floodplain, HUD will
require 30 to 60 days in most cases to perform the required processing.
Assisted new construction located within a designated wetland is subject
to HUD's decision-making process under E.O. 11990.
Assisted property acquisition, repair, rehabilitation, conversion,
new construction and project-based leasing located within a floodplain
are subject to HUD's decision-making process under E.O. 11988. The
decision-making process does not apply to existing single-family properties
proposed for lease or acquisition involving either non-substantial
improvement or no improvement as long as the existing property is
not located within a floodway or coastal high hazard area. Under these
executive orders, HUD must avoid financial support for covered activities,
unless it can demonstrate that there are no practicable alternatives
outside the floodplain or wetlands. Where flood-free and wetland-free
sites are available within the community or housing market area, these
are considered practicable.
Definition: "Substantial improvement" for flood hazard purposes
is defined in 24 CFR 55.2(b)(8).
Documentation: Grantees are to select A_ or B_ for the condition
that best describes their project and document the source of the information.
A. The grantee provides HUD with a finding that the property is located
within the Special Flood Hazard Area and/or designated wetlands. The
response as to whether a property is located within a Special Flood
Hazard Area or designated wetlands can be made as follows: oTo make
a wetlands finding, the grantee would use maps issued by the Department
of the Interior (DOI) for the National Inventory of Wetlands. o To
make a floodplain finding, the grantee would use maps issued by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the National Flood
Insurance Program.
B. The grantee provides HUD with a letter of finding that
the property is not located within the Special Flood Hazard Area
or designated wetlands. These findings should cite the map panel
number of the official maps issued by DOI and FEMA on the basis
of which the findings were made. [http://www.fema.gov/about/programs/nfip/index.shtm]
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