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Implementing a Federal Flood 

Risk Management Standard

FACI Briefing

May 7, 2015
Past and Future Flood Risk in the U.S.

 Between 1980 and 2013, the United States suffered more than 

$260 billion in flood-related damages. Flooding accounts for 

approximately 85% of all disaster declarations. 

 On average, more people die annually from flooding than any 

other natural hazard.

 Flooding risks are anticipated to increase over time due to 

climate change and other threats. That damage can be 

particularly severe to the nation’s infrastructure, including our 

buildings, roads, ports, industrial facilities, and even our coastal 

military installations. 

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Updating Federal Flood Risk Standards
 Issued May 1977 governing federal actions in the floodplain

 Each agency shall provide leadership and shall take action to 

reduce the risk of flood loss, to minimize the impact of floods 

on human safety, health and welfare, and to restore and 

preserve the natural and beneficial values served by 

floodplains in carrying out its responsibilities for

(1) acquiring, managing, and disposing of federal lands, and 

facilities; 

(2) providing federally undertaken, financed, or assisted 

construction and improvements; 

(3) conducting federal activities and programs affecting land use, 

including but not limited to water and related land resources 

planning, regulating, and licensing activities. 4

Executive Order 11988
 On January 30th, the President signed Executive Order 13690, 

which amends Executive Order 11988 and establishes the Federal 

Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS or Standard).

 On February 5th, FEMA, on behalf of the Mitigation Federal 

Leadership Group (MitFLG), published in the Federal Register for 

notice and comment a draft of revisions to the 1978 Floodplain 

Management Guidelines. The draft Guidelines contain the basic 

interpretation of Executive Order 11988, as amended by the 

Executive Order 13690 and the FFRMS.

 Executive Order 13690 also requires agencies to develop 

Implementation Plans describing how each agency will update its 

existing policies, procedures and/or regulations to comply with the 

new requirements.

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Executive Order 13690
Goal to Increase Resilience to Flooding

The FFRMS and Executive Order 13690 

ensure that agencies expand management 

from the current base flood level to a higher 

vertical elevation and corresponding 

horizontal floodplain to address current and 

future flood risk and ensure that projects 

funded with taxpayer dollars last as long as 

intended.

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Applying the Standard

Does Apply

 Federal agencies will continue to 

implement Executive Order 11988, but 

replacing the 100-year base in the 

Executive Order with the process 

identified in the Federal Flood Risk 

Management Standard.

Does Not Apply

Executive Order 13690 does not 

prohibit building in the floodplains. 

EO 13690 does not apply to private 

investments in structures, facilities, or 

homes.

The Standard will not affect flood 

insurance premiums or the 

requirements for participation in the 

NFIP. No change to:

 community floodplain management 

requirements, 

 FEMA’s flood mapping standards, 

 FEMA’s levee accreditation regulations 

(44 CFR 65.10), or 

 rating/pricing practices of the NFIP. 
Approaches in the Federal Flood Risk 

Management Standard

 Federal agencies will be given the flexibility to select the best 

approach for establishing the elevation and flood hazard area used 

when implementing Executive Order 11988 as amended by 

Executive Order 13690:

─ Utilizing best-available, actionable data and methods that integrate 

current and future changes in flooding based on science;

─ Two or three feet of elevation, (depending on criticality), above the 100-

year, or 1%-annual-chance, flood elevation; or

─ 500-year, or 0.2%-annual-chance, flood elevation.

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Soliciting Input: Revised Implementing 

Guidelines

 The draft revised Guidelines are available for public comment through 

May 6, 2015.

 FEMA will collect comments on the revised Guidelines and provide 

them to the Mitigation Framework Leadership Group (MitFLG). The 

MitFLG is composed of agencies with programs and authorities 

designed to mitigate the impacts of disasters on communities. 

 Agencies will use the final Guidelines to update policies, procedures, 

and/or regulations for implementing the Executive Orders. Those 

agency and program-specific updates are anticipated to provide for 

additional public engagement.

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Soliciting Input: Listening Sessions

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 On behalf of the MitFLG, FEMA hosted listening sessions to 

gather feedback on the implementation of the FFRMS.
Key Themes from Listening Sessions

 Impact of Executive Order 13690 on permitting

 Impact of Executive Order 13690 on financial transactions

 A need for clarity on roles, definitions, and process

 A need for consistency across agencies

 Importance of leveraging existing programs and resources

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Revising and Finalizing the Guidelines

 FEMA will collect the incoming public comments on the 

Guidelines and provide them to the MitFLG.

 The MitFLG will work to revise the Guidelines based on the 

input that is received.

 The MitFLG will provide recommendations on the Guidelines to 

the Water Resources Council to finalize and issue the 

Guidelines.

 The Water Resources Council was established by the Water Resources 

Planning Act (79 Stat. 244), July 22, 1965.

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Water Resources Council

 The President convenes the Water Resources Council for matters 

affecting multiple agencies responsibilities and designates a Chairman 

of the Council who shall request the heads of other federal agencies 

to participate with the Council when matters affecting their 

responsibilities are considered by the Council. 

 Water Resources Council is composed of the:

 Secretary of the Interior

 Secretary of Agriculture

 Secretary of the Army

 Secretary of Commerce

 Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

 Secretary of Transportation

 Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

 Secretary of Energy 

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After the Public Comment Period

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 Comment period concludes on May 6, 2015.

 Post Public Comment Period Activities

 Agencies will submit their Implementation Plan to the White House 

within 30 days of the close of the public comment period. The 

Implementation Plan will detail which policies, procedures, and/or 

regulations they plan to update along with the timeline and public 

engagement that may be necessary.

 The Water Resources Council will finalize and issue the final 

Guidelines.

 Agencies will revise policies, procedures, and/or regulations as 

necessary to implement the Standard and engage the public as 

required.
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FFRMS and Implementing Guidelines 

Development Process
Thank You

“It is the policy of the United States to improve the resilience 

of communities and federal assets against the impacts of 

flooding. These impacts are anticipated to increase over 

time due to the effects of climate change and other threats. 

Losses caused by flooding affect the environment, our 

economic prosperity, and public health and safety, each of 

which affects our national security.”

- Executive Order 13690

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Implementing a Federal Flood 

Risk Management Standard

May 7, 2015