[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 205 (Monday, October 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 62280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23825]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency


Notice of Adjustment of the Coverage Amount Under the Group Flood 
Insurance Program (GFIP), for Policies Issued for Disasters Declared on 
or Before October 14, 2002

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Preparedness and 
Response Directorate, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: FEMA gives notice that the coverage amount for Group Flood 
Insurance Policies issued by the Individual and Family Grant (IFG) 
program for disasters declared on or before October 14, 2002 is 
increased.

DATES: Effective October 1, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Berl Jones, Recovery Division, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC 20472, (202) 646-4235.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 44 CFR 61.17 sets the amount of coverage 
under the GFIP. Although the current version of Sec.  61.17 sets this 
amount as equivalent to the maximum grant amount established under 
section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act, (the Stafford Act) (42 U.S.C. 5174,) prior to October 
15, 2002, this regulation set the amount of coverage as equivalent to 
the maximum grant amount under the Individual and Family Grant (IFG) 
program under section 411 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5178) see 67 
FR 61462, Sept. 30, 2002. Section 411 was repealed as of October 15, 
2002. Because FEMA's policy is to apply regulations in force on the 
date of a disaster declaration to all assistance provided during that 
disaster (which in this case is also the time that the policies were 
issued), we will set the coverage for GFIP based upon the same criteria 
used to adjust the maximum IFG grant amount under section 411 for GFIP 
polices issued for those disasters declared prior to the repeal of 
section 411. Since section 411 has been repealed, this adjustment is 
made solely for purposes of establishing the GFIP coverage amount for 
policies issued for disasters declared on or before October 14, 2002.
    The Stafford Act prescribed that grants made under section 411, IFG 
program, shall be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the Consumer 
Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Department of 
Labor. If the IFG program were still in effect, the maximum grant 
amount for the IFG program under section 411 of the Act would have been 
increased to $15,800 for fiscal year 2005. As a result, the coverage 
amount for GFIP is adjusted to $15,800.
    FEMA bases the adjustments on an increase in the Consumer Price 
Index for All Urban Consumers of 2.7 percent for the 12-month period 
that ended in August 2004. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. 
Department of Labor released the information on September 16, 2004.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 97.035, Individual and 
Family Grant Program)

    Dated: October 18, 2004.
Michael D. Brown,
Under Secretary, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Department of 
Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 04-23825 Filed 10-22-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-10-P