Document ID: FEMA-2023-0009-0001
Agency: fema
Document Type: Notice
Title: Community Disaster Resilience Zones and the National Risk Index
Posted Date: 2023-05-26T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 102 (Friday, May 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34171-34176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11268]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2023-0009]

Community Disaster Resilience Zones and the National Risk Index

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: Notice and request for information.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is issuing this 
notice and request for information (RFI) to seek input from the public 
on implementation of the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act of 
2022, including updates to the methodology and data used for the 
National Risk Index and any other hazard assessment products; potential 
improvements to FEMA's provision of hazard data; the process used to 
designate community disaster resilience zones; financial and technical 
assistance for resilience or mitigation projects primarily benefitting 
community disaster resilience zones; and the community disaster 
resilience zone project application and certification process.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than July 25, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments at www.regulations.gov under Docket ID: 
FEMA-2023-0009. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. All 
submissions received must include the agency name and Docket ID, and 
will be posted, without change, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 
www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you 
provide. Therefore, submitting this information makes it public. You 
may wish to read the Privacy and Security Notice that is available via 
a link on the homepage of www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela Williams, Assistant 
Administrator, Grants Programs, Resilience, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, [email protected], 202-212-8007.

I. Public Participation

    Interested persons are invited to comment on this notice by 
submitting written data, views, or arguments using the method 
identified in the ADDRESSES section.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
Docket ID for this notice. All comments received will be posted without 
change to www.regulations.gov. Commenters are encouraged to identify 
the number of the specific question or questions to which they are 
responding.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to www.regulations.gov and search for the Docket 
ID.

II. Background

A. Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act

    The Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act of 2022, Public Law 
117-255, 136 Stat. 2363, amended title II of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) 
(Stafford Act) to add a new section 206 (42 U.S.C. 5136) that requires 
the: (1) maintenance of a natural hazard assessment program and 
development and maintenance of products for the public's use that show 
the risk of natural hazards through use of risk ratings at the census 
tract level; and (2) designation of, at the census tract level, 
community disaster resilience zones based on the natural hazard risk 
ratings derived from a natural hazard risk product maintained by the 
natural hazard assessment program.
    Section 206 also provides FEMA the discretion to: (1) increase the 
Federal cost share to not more than 90 percent under the Building 
Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program for mitigation 
projects within, or primarily benefiting, a community disaster 
resilience zone; (2) provide financial and technical assistance to 
State, local, Tribal, and Territorial governments for project planning 
assistance to carry out activities in preparation for a mitigation 
project; and (3) establish a process for FEMA certification, and 
provide certification for mitigation projects within, or primarily 
benefiting, a community disaster resilience zone.

B. FEMA National Risk Index

    In November 2020, FEMA announced the availability of the National 
Risk Index with limited access to data. On August 16, 2021, FEMA 
released a full web application which enhanced the data and report 
functionality.\1\ The National Risk Index data and application were 
updated on March 23, 2023 (detailed below). The National Risk Index is 
a publicly available dataset and online mapping application that 
identifies the U.S. communities at most risk for 18 different natural 
hazards. The 18 hazard types evaluated by the National Risk Index were 
chosen after reviewing FEMA-approved State Hazard Mitigation Plans for 
all 50 states in early 2016.\2\ The National Risk Index application 
visualizes natural hazard risk metrics and includes important data 
about expected annual losses, social vulnerability, and community 
resilience.\3\ All National Risk Index data

[[Page 34172]]

are publicly available in spatial and tabular formats. The National 
Risk Index data are derived probabilistic data sources or built from 
historic event and historic loss information, and are aggregated to the 
county and census tract levels, thus providing a baseline risk 
assessment and natural hazard risk profiles. While natural hazard 
occurrences can induce secondary natural hazard occurrences, only 
primary natural hazard occurrences (and not their results or after-
effects) are considered in the National Risk Index.
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    \1\ FEMA, National Risk Index for Natural Hazards, https://www.fema.gov/nri.
    \2\ More information about data availability can be found in 
FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation. FEMA, National 
Risk Index, Technical Documentation, Chapters 5-1 to 5-2 (March 
2023), https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_national-risk-index_technical-documentation.pdf.
    \3\ More information about these risk components can be found in 
FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation (March 2023), 
http://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_national-risk-index_technical-documentation.pdf; FEMA, Data Glossary, https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/data-glossary (last visited Mar. 23, 2023).
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    Currently, the National Risk Index does not account for future 
conditions or anticipated impacts due to climate change.
    With current National Risk Index information, users can discover a 
holistic view of their community's baseline and current risk from 
natural hazards via online maps and data downloads. With improved 
understanding of natural hazard risk, users can take action to reduce 
it and build more resilient communities. Potential users might be 
planners and emergency managers at the State, local, Tribal, 
Territorial, and Federal levels; as well as other decision makers, 
private sector entities and interested members of the public. The 
interactive mapping application can help decision makers better prepare 
for and mitigate natural hazard events by providing standardized risk 
data for planning and an overview of multiple risk factors. In turn, 
these data can help State, local, Tribal, or Territorial governments 
develop FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plans, required to apply for 
and/or receive certain FEMA assistance and mitigation grants. More 
importantly, use of these data can help all users plan for disasters 
and increase resilience.
    The National Risk Index is different from other traditional hazard 
data and models because of the scope and scale of its analyses. For 
communities that do not have access to natural hazard risk assessment 
services, the National Risk Index is a valuable product since it uses 
authoritative data from a variety of Federal, State, local, academic, 
non-profit, and private sector partners and contributors,\4\ and 
provides users analysis of their risk to a natural hazard. The National 
Risk Index leverages best-available source data and methods to provide 
a holistic view of the current and baseline community-level risk 
nationwide by combining multiple hazards with socioeconomic and built 
environment factors.
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    \4\ FEMA, Risk Index Contributors, https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/contributors (last visited Mar. 23, 2023).
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    In addition to Federal collaborators, the National Risk Index 
incorporates data from a wide range of relevant sources across the 
country to ensure the tool's robustness.\5\ This includes more than 90 
partners across the public and private sectors, including State, 
regional and local government agencies; academia; private 
organizations; and nonprofits. Data were collected from best available 
resources between 2018 and 2023.
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    \5\ More information on the review and selection process for 
data used in the National Risk Index is available in the Technical 
Documentation. See FEMA, National Risk Index, Technical 
Documentation, 2-4 to 2-6 (March 2023), https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_national-risk-index_technical-documentation.pdf.
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    FEMA publishes and maintains a publicly available National Risk 
Index-specific Technical Document to highlight the National Risk Index 
research and methodologies for developing all components of the 
tool.\6\ Previously released National Risk Index data versions, 
documentation, and data updates documentation are available through the 
National Risk Index Data Archive.\7\
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    \6\ FEMA, National Risk Index, Technical Documentation (March 
2023), https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_national-risk-index_technical-documentation.pdf.
    \7\ FEMA, National Risk Index Data Archive, https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/data-archive (last visited Mar. 23, 2023).
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III. Using the National Risk Index as the Natural Hazard Risk Product

A. Alignment With Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act Requirements

    Section 206(c) (42 U.S.C. 5136(c)) specifies the natural hazard 
risk product must (1) show the risk of natural hazards; and (2) include 
ratings and data for loss exposure, social vulnerability, community 
resilience, and any other element determined necessary by the 
President. Section 206(e) (42 U.S.C. 5136(e)) requires FEMA to receive 
public input on the methodology and data used for the product.
    As currently maintained, the National Risk Index meets the 
Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act requirements for a natural 
hazard risk product that can serve as the basis for community disaster 
resilience zone designations under section 206(d) (42 U.S.C. 5136(d)). 
The National Risk Index includes three components to define natural 
hazard risk: (1) a community's expected annual loss, based on hazard 
frequency, exposure, and historic loss ratio for buildings, population 
equivalence, and agriculture; (2) social vulnerability; and (3) 
community resilience.
    Overall risk index scores and individual natural hazard risk index 
scores are calculated for each county and census tract included in the 
National Risk Index. An overall risk index score measures the risk of a 
location considering all 18 natural hazards included in the index. An 
individual natural hazard risk index score measures the risk of a 
location for a single natural hazard.
    The National Risk Index uses the following equation to derive a 
risk index score, which is described in more detail below:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN26MY23.028

    Expected Annual Loss measures the potential average annual expected 
loss of building value, population/population equivalence (monetized 
fatalities and injuries), and agricultural (crop and livestock) value 
due to natural hazards. Data sources include, but are not limited to 
FEMA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Census, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Geological Survey 
(USGS), and are detailed in the National Risk Index Technical 
Documentation.\8\
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    \8\ FEMA, National Risk Index, Technical Documentation (March 
2023), https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_national-risk-index_technical-documentation.pdf.
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    Social Vulnerability measures the susceptibility of populations to 
the adverse impacts of natural hazards. A relatively higher social 
vulnerability score indicates that the community is

[[Page 34173]]

either more likely to experience adverse impacts or that the impacts 
will be more severe. The National Risk Index currently uses the U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, Social Vulnerability Index to measure social 
vulnerability.\9\ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
Social Vulnerability Index does not have data for American Samoa, Guam, 
Northern Mariana Islands, or United States Virgin Islands.\10\
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    \9\ Other tools measure social vulnerability using different 
analyses. See, e.g., Council on Environmental Quality, Climate and 
Economic Justice Screening Tool, Methodology, https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/methodology#3/33.47/-97.5 (last 
visited May 2, 2023).
    \10\ Sociodemographic census variables for Guam, American Samoa, 
the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands are 
unavailable or are not collected at the geographic resolutions 
required for CDC/ATSDR SVI. See CDC/ATSDR SVI Frequently Asked 
Questions (FAQ), https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/svi/faq_svi.html (Oct. 26, 2022).
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    Community Resilience measures the ability of a community to prepare 
for anticipated natural hazards, adapt to changing conditions, and 
withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions.\11\ The National Risk 
Index uses the Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities index 
\12\ to measure community resilience. The Baseline Resilience 
Indicators for Communities is a place-based measurement of community 
resilience accounting for social, economic, community capital, 
institutional, infrastructural, and environmental resilience factors. A 
community with a relatively higher community resilience score indicates 
that community is more likely to absorb adverse natural hazard impacts. 
The Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities does not have data 
for U.S. territories, and the data are only available at the county 
level.
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    \11\ This is based on a National Institute of Standards and 
Technology definition. See National Risk Index, Technical 
Documentation at 4-3; National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, Community Resilience, https://www.nist.gov/community-resilience (last visited Mar. 23, 2023).
    \12\ University of South Carolina, Hazard and Vulnerability 
Research Institute, Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities 
Index, 2020 Update, https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/artsandsciences/centers_and_institutes/hvri/data_and_resources/bric/index.php (last visited Mar. 23, 2023).
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    The National Risk Index is only a snapshot of natural hazard risk 
primarily based on historically derived and generated hazard 
information (data collection timeframes are detailed in the National 
Risk Index Technical Documentation). This produces a baseline for 
natural hazard risk across the U.S. As the landscape of natural 
hazards, the built environment, and land use change over time, the 
National Risk Index must be updated to reflect these changes and to 
anticipate future conditions. To understand effects of changing climate 
on natural hazard risk, future conditions data are needed to support 
the creation of future natural hazard risk data. This includes, but is 
not limited to, natural hazard frequency, exposure, intensity and 
duration, building stock, population and demographics, and crop and 
livestock data.

B. Updates to the National Risk Index

    To further improve its suitability for Community Disaster 
Resilience Zone Act implementation, FEMA made several data and 
methodology changes to the National Risk Index as detailed below. These 
changes improve accuracy, address user feedback and needs, enable 
measurement of risk over time, and support future integration of 
climate change data.
    As part of the National Risk Index data version 1.19.0 release on 
March 23, 2023, the following changes were made:
     Update to census tract geographies to reflect 2020 U.S. 
Census modifications.
     Migration from the University of South Carolina Social 
Vulnerability Index (SoVI[supreg]) to the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, Social Vulnerability Index for use as the social 
vulnerability component of the National Risk Index.
     Generation of Expected Annual Loss data for some natural 
hazards for American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto 
Rico, and United States Virgin Islands.
     Inclusion of precalculated Expected Annual Loss Rates 
within schema and data downloads.
     Enhancements to land cover/land use data, including 
updated building and population equivalence (monetized fatalities and 
injuries) \13\ values.
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    \13\ FEMA quantifies loss of life and injury using a Value of 
Statistical Life figure, which was increased in 2021. See Benefit-
Cost Analysis Sustainment and Enhancements: Draft Standard Economic 
Values Methodology Report, Version 11.0, at 17 (September 2022), 
https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_standard-economic-values-methodology-report_092022.pdf. This Value of 
Statistical Life figure was updated again after the National Risk 
Index data version 1.19.0 was released. See Department of 
Transportation, Departmental Guidance on Valuation of a Statistical 
Life in Economic Analysis (May 1, 2023), https://www.transportation.gov/office-policy/transportation-policy/revised-departmental-guidance-on-valuation-of-a-statistical-life-in-economic-analysis. The newly updated figure may be integrated into 
future National Risk Index data updates.
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     Hazard specific methodology updates for coastal flooding, 
drought, earthquake, hurricane, landslide, tornado, and tsunami.
     Development of Hazard Risk Value metric.
     Modification to how Social Vulnerability and Community 
Resilience values are applied to Expected Annual Loss.
     Conversion of Composite and Individual Hazard Risk Scores 
to Percentiles.
     Historic hazard data period of record updates.
     Enhanced methodology to estimate Historic Loss Ratio 
values separately for urban and rural communities.
     Application enhancements to static pages, map viewer, map 
sidebar, and reports.
    Current National Risk Index data and methodologies are detailed in 
the National Risk Index Technical Documentation, and more information 
about these and previous changes to data and methodologies are 
available in the Data Version and Update Documentation found on the 
National Risk Index Data Archive Page.\14\
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    \14\ FEMA, National Risk Index, Technical Documentation (March 
2023), https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_national-risk-index_technical-documentation.pdf; FEMA, National 
Risk Index Data Archive (March 2023), https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/data-archive.
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IV. Designating Community Disaster Resilience Zones and Targeting 
Assistance

    Section 206(d) (42 U.S.C. 5136(d)) requires that FEMA designate 
zones at the census tract level based on the natural hazard risk 
ratings derived from a natural hazard risk product maintained by the 
natural hazard assessment program. At a minimum, the community disaster 
resilience zones must include the 50 census tracts with the highest 
individual hazard risk ratings nationwide and at least one percent of 
high-risk census tracts in each State, maintaining a geographic balance 
across coastal, inland, urban, suburban, and rural areas and including 
census tracts on Tribal lands. The risk ratings used to designate the 
zones may also use any other elements determined by the President. 
Section 206(d)(4) specifies that community disaster resilience zone 
designations shall be effective for a period of no less than five 
years.
    As amended by the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act, section 
206(h) (42 U.S.C. 5136(h)) provides FEMA the discretion to provide 
financial and technical assistance to State, local, Tribal, and 
Territorial governments that plan to perform a resilience or mitigation 
project within,

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or that primarily benefits, a community disaster resilience zone. 
Section 206(h)(2) specifies that the purpose of this assistance is to 
support activities or preparation for a resilience or mitigation 
project or seek an evaluation and certification for a resilience or 
mitigation project before permanent work of the project begins. Section 
206(h)(4) provides that FEMA may use funding it sets aside pursuant to 
section 203(i) of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5133(i)) to fund the 
financial and technical assistance for resilience or mitigation project 
planning.

V. Questions for Commenters

    Consistent with the requirements of the Community Disaster 
Resilience Zones Act, FEMA seeks input from the public on the 
methodology and data used for its hazard assessment products, and other 
potential improvements to FEMA's provision of hazard data to inform 
future updates. Additionally, FEMA requests initial comment on the 
process used to designate these zones and the types of financial and 
technical assistance for resilience or mitigation projects that would 
benefit identified communities and serve as a catalyst for additional 
resilience investments in these communities. The following list of 
questions is non-exhaustive and is meant to assist members of the 
public in the formulation of comments. It is not intended to restrict 
the issues that commenters may address:

A. Risk Assessment--General Questions

    1. How does your organization use risk assessment products and 
associated risk ratings? What products do you use and why are they 
useful? How does your organization vet risk assessment tools and 
products? Are there additional data, information, analysis 
capabilities, or metrics that would be useful? Are there data that you 
do not currently have access to, but would like?
    2. Does your organization use the National Risk Index? How does 
your organization use the National Risk Index? What are the time 
horizons for decisions your organization is making using the National 
Risk Index (e.g., projects that will take place in 5, 20, 50+ years)? 
Are there specific features or aspects of the National Risk Index that 
you find particularly useful? Are there specific features or aspects 
that you would like to change? Does the addition of Expected Annual 
Loss Rate help in how your organization understands relative natural 
hazard risk? Would providing additional built in data filters (e.g., 
Hazard Mitigation Plan Status, National Flood Insurance Program 
participation, FEMA Disaster Declarations, Justice40 initiative 
investments, etc.) benefit the usability of National Risk Index data?
    3. Risk Assessment capability within FEMA traditionally uses 
nationally available data. Some tools (including but not limited to 
Hazus \15\ and he Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool \16\) allow 
users to upload local information for decision support. How can FEMA 
work with State, local, Tribal, and Territorial partners to understand 
what more detailed information exists and how it can be incorporated 
into national level decision support tools? Should FEMA maintain 
products with baseline natural hazard risk data from consistently 
available national data sources and an enhanced product with additional 
local information? Are there specific features or aspects of the 
National Risk Index that you find particularly useful including 
features that could be added or altered?
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    \15\ FEMA, Hazus Software, https://www.fema.gov/flood-maps/products-tools/hazus (last visited Mar. 23, 2023).
    \16\ FEMA, Resilience Analysis & Planning Tool (RAPT), https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool (last visited Mar. 23, 2023).
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    4. Is there potential to combine or integrate FEMA's hazard 
assessment products with other tools? If so, which tools and how?
    5. Are there ways that FEMA could provide better outreach to 
communities and individuals with fewer resources to encourage use of 
its hazard assessment products? Are there partnerships that FEMA could 
explore to improve its outreach (and if so, with whom)? What other ways 
can FEMA and its partners present data and information to users to make 
data actionable? What other support could FEMA provide to help 
communities act on this information?

B. Risk Assessment--Methodology

    1. In general, how could FEMA improve its National Risk Index 
methodology used to understand, measure, and communicate community-
level natural hazard risk across the country? Are there any potential 
biases within the National Risk Index data or methods? What methods 
exist for addressing these biases?
    2. Do you have any feedback on the formula used to derive the 
National Risk Index risk ratings or the specific data used to measure 
expected annual loss, social vulnerability, or community resilience?
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN26MY23.029

    3. The National Risk Index incorporates Expected Annual Loss 
information for 18 different natural hazards. Are there ways that the 
National Risk Index could better represent these data? If so, how? What 
research exists to help guide FEMA in the development of Expected 
Annual Loss beyond the current methodology? What additional information 
should FEMA consider for the Expected Annual Loss factor?
    4. While the National Risk Index incorporates the Centers for 
Disease Control and Preventions' Social Vulnerability Index, are there 
ways that the National Risk Index could better represent the broader 
societal impacts of natural hazards and/or measure how different 
populations are vulnerable to natural hazards? If so, how and based on 
what research? What research exists to explain the validity or 
predictability of social vulnerability factors and models?
    5. The National Risk Index incorporates the Baseline Resilience 
Indicators for Communities as the Community Resilience component. Are 
there ways the National Risk Index could better represent resilient 
communities? If so, how? Recognizing that the Baseline Resilience 
Indicators for Communities does not currently include Territories, how 
can the Community Resilience component better measure Territories? What 
research exists to explain the validity or predictability of community 
resilience models?

C. Risk Assessment--Data

    1. What mechanism exists or could be created to ensure that the 
National Risk Index is using the best available data? What additional 
information should be considered when developing the National Risk 
Index? How would these resources be incorporated? How often

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should this information be reviewed and incorporated? How often should 
the National Risk Index data be updated?
    2. What additional data sources should FEMA consider for the 
National Risk Index? Are these data sources national, including full 
U.S. Territory coverage or local/State equivalent specific, and are 
they publicly available? What is the period of record? How often are 
these data sources updated?
    3. Can FEMA leverage new technologies to refine its risk assessment 
products? If so, what are they, and how can FEMA use new technologies?
    4. What data could FEMA use to include place-based approaches for 
the U.S. Territories, including but not limited to frequency, exposure, 
and historic loss ratio data for hazards or social vulnerability and 
community resilience data?

D. Climate Change and Future Conditions Data

    1. How should FEMA incorporate climate change and future conditions 
data into the National Risk Index? What tools/data sources should FEMA 
consider (e.g., Climate Risk & Resilience Portal,\17\ Climate Mapping 
for Resilience and Adaptation Tool,\18\ or U.S. Climate Resilience 
Toolkit \19\) when expanding the National Risk Index to include 
anticipated impacts due to climate change? Who should FEMA consult with 
and include when developing this possible expansion?
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    \17\ Argonne National Laboratory, Climate Risk & Resilience 
Portal (ClimRR), https://disgeoportal.egs.anl.gov/ClimRR/ (last 
visited Mar. 23, 2023).
    \18\ U.S. Global Change Research Program, Climate Mapping for 
Resilience and Adaption, https://resilience.climate.gov/ (last 
visited Mar. 23, 2023).
    \19\ U.S. Global Change Research Program, U.S. Climate 
Resilience Toolkit, https://toolkit.climate.gov/ (last visited Mar. 
23, 2023).
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    2. How could the National Risk Index incorporate ``derivative 
climate change,'' and/or the cascading effects of natural hazard 
incidents? Which data or models could be utilized to show this 
relationship?
    3. What solutions exist that account for potential future 
resilience efforts (including but not limited to future building codes, 
land use planning and zoning, or nature-based solutions)? What existing 
data or methods are publicly available to support climate change data 
integration into the National Risk Index? What future conditions data 
and information exist to support the non-hazard components (i.e., 
economic, infrastructural, coping capacity) of the National Risk Index? 
What future population growth and movement, demographics, landscape 
change, building development, agriculture, cultivated crops, etc. 
information exists and how can these be applied to the existing 
National Risk Index framework? Are these linked with specific emissions 
scenarios? If not, how could they be linked to expected emissions?

E. Questions To Identify Community Disaster Resilience Zones

    1. In accordance with the legislation, FEMA will designate 
community disaster resilience zones at the census tract level. How can 
FEMA best communicate this designation once it has been made to the 
relevant jurisdictions and communities? What additional data and 
information would be useful to communities who are designated community 
disaster resilience zones? Would it be beneficial for FEMA to use a 
phased in approach or announce in stages, making adjustments to the 
selection methodology based on lessons learned, feedback and results? 
If so, what data and information should FEMA consider for a phased 
approach and how frequently should these designations be reviewed and 
how? How can FEMA best include climate change, land use change, and 
demographic changes in these designations?
    2. In addition to the census tracts based National Risk Index risk 
ratings and inclusion of Tribal lands, the legislation directs 
consideration of coastal, inland, urban, suburban, and rural areas for 
geographic balance. What additional criteria should FEMA consider in 
determining how to achieve geographic balance?
    3. In the absence of social vulnerability and community resilience 
data for the U.S. Territories, how should FEMA help Territories 
prioritize census tracts and resources based on the level of risk and 
vulnerability in each community, as well as the unique characteristics 
of each community, so that resources can be allocated more efficiently 
and effectively to support disaster resilience efforts?
    4. How should FEMA work with State, local, Tribal and Territorial 
Governments in designating zones? How can FEMA Partner with States, 
Tribes and Territorial government in working with local governments 
with community disaster resilience zones? What can FEMA do to help 
ensure community disaster resilience zones are supported by State, 
local, Tribal, and Territorial resilience efforts? Are there specific 
considerations that should be taken into account when designating zones 
in Tribes and Territories?
    5. In what ways could FEMA encourage collaboration across 
jurisdictional boundaries to support a community's ability to reduce 
hazard risk?
    6. What are the significant barriers that potential community 
disaster resilience zones face in accessing and leveraging Federal 
resources, and how can FEMA and other Federal agencies assist them in 
overcoming these barriers and make this process more equitable?

F. Resilience or Mitigation Project Planning Assistance

    1. What would be the most useful and equitable way for FEMA to 
provide financial and technical assistance to benefit communities with 
Community Disaster Resilience Zones to plan, apply for, and evaluate 
resilience or mitigation projects?
    2. How can FEMA support comprehensive community resilience planning 
to benefit community disaster resilience zones and the larger 
communities those census tracts lie within?
    3. How should FEMA engage with State, local, Tribal, Territorial, 
and nongovernmental levels to provide technical assistance to benefit 
communities within Community Disaster Resilience Zones?
    4. What activities could FEMA undertake to help community disaster 
resilience zones understand and implement the types of projects, 
activities, or services that would minimize/reduce natural hazard risk?
    5. What are potential unintended consequences of designating these 
zones and/or implementing other parts of this legislation that should 
be considered?

G. Community Disaster Resilience Zone Project Application and 
Certification Process and Other Investment Opportunities

    1. As amended by the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act, 
section 206(i) of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5136(i)) provides FEMA 
the discretion to execute an evaluation and certification program for 
projects within, or primarily benefiting, a community disaster 
resilience zone. FEMA may evaluate prospective projects to determine if 
the project is designed to reduce injuries, loss of life, or damage and 
destruction of property, such as damage to critical services and 
facilities; and substantially reduces the risk of, or increases 
resilience to, future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering. What is the 
most equitable way for FEMA to implement a certification process to 
minimize applicant burden while ensuring the most beneficial

[[Page 34176]]

projects move forward, given this criteria? How should FEMA determine 
the extent to which proposed projects benefit the individual census 
tract(s) and promote comprehensive community-wide resilience?
    2. How can the identified community disaster resilience zones and 
FEMA's assistance amplify other Federal and non-Federal programs to 
direct resources to communities with high risk to natural hazards, high 
social vulnerability and low community resilience? What other programs 
would be complementary?
    3. How can FEMA monitor progress of improving resilience in 
community disaster resilience zones over time? What are key data and 
other metrics that can be used to monitor and evaluate progress?
    4. In what ways could FEMA use the community disaster resilience 
zone designation as a catalyst for Federal and non-Federal funding, 
e.g., encouraging communities with the designation to partner with non-
governmental entities, such as private non-profit organizations, 
philanthropy, and private equity, to drive investments to benefit 
designated communities?
    5. For mitigation projects that benefit large areas covering many 
census tracts, how can FEMA help applicants determine if the project is 
``within'' or ``primarily benefits'' a community disaster resilience 
zone? What tools or resources would help potential applicants design 
projects that prioritize these identified communities? How should these 
projects be evaluated for their efficacy in reducing natural hazard 
risk?

H. Community Disaster Resilience Zone Projects Causing Displacement

    1. How can FEMA best ensure any residents displaced by resilience 
or mitigation projects receive equitable treatment?
    2. How can FEMA ensure comprehensive community engagement is a 
central component of any community resilience planning and project 
implementation for Community Disaster Resilience Zones?
    3. How can FEMA work with local jurisdictions designated as 
Community Disaster Resilience Zones to support community driven 
relocation, where appropriate?

Deanne Criswell,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2023-11268 Filed 5-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-12-P