vide information, and conduct research, as it considers ap-
propriate. 
(l) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Director, on an an-
nual basis, shall report to the Committee on Banking, 
Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, the Committee 
on Financial Services of the House of Representatives, and 
the Office of Management and Budget on the—
(1) recommendations made by the Council; and 
(2) actions taken by the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency to address such recommenda-
tions to improve flood insurance rate maps and flood 
risk data. 
SEC. 119. NATIONAL FLOOD MAPPING PROGRAM. 
(a) 
REVIEWING, 
UPDATING, 
AND
MAINTAINING 
MAPS.—The Director, in coordination with the Technical 
Mapping Advisory Council established under section 118, 
shall establish an ongoing program under which the Direc-
tor shall review, update, and maintain National Flood In-
surance Program rate maps in accordance with this section. 
(b) MAPPING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program 
established under subsection (a), the Director shall—
(A) identify, review, update, maintain, and 
publish National Flood Insurance Program rate 
maps with respect to—
(i) all areas located within the 100-
year floodplain; 
(ii) all areas located within the 500-
year floodplain; 
(iii) areas of residual risk that have 
not previously been identified, including 
areas that are protected levees, dams, and 
other man-made structures; and 
(iv) areas that could be inundated as a 
result of the failure of a levee, dam, or other 
man-made structure; 
(v) the level of protection provided by 
man-made structures. 
(B) establish or update flood-risk zone data 
in all such areas, and make estimates with re-
spect to the rates of probable flood caused loss for 
the various flood risk zones for each such area; 
and 
(C) use, in identifying, reviewing, updating, 
maintaining, or publishing any National Flood 
Insurance Program rate map required under this 
section or under the National Flood Insurance 
Act of 1968, the most accurate topography and 
elevation data available.
(2) MAPPING
ELEMENTS.—Each map updated 
under this section shall: 
(A) GROUND ELEVATION DATA.—Assess the 
accuracy of current ground elevation data used 
for hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of flood-
ing sources and mapping of the flood hazard and 
wherever necessary acquire new ground elevation 
data utilizing the most up-to-date geospatial 
technologies in accordance with the existing 
guidelines and specifications of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
(B) DATA ON A WATERSHED BASIS.—De-
velop National Flood Insurance Program flood 
data on a watershed basis—
(i) to provide the most technically ef-
fective and efficient studies and hydrologic 
and hydraulic modeling; and 
(ii) to eliminate, to the maximum ex-
tent possible, discrepancies in base flood ele-
vations between adjacent political subdivi-
sions. 
(3) OTHER
INCLUSIONS.—In updating maps 
under this section, the Director shall include—
(A) any relevant information on coastal in-
undation from—
(i) an applicable inundation map of 
the Corps of Engineers; and 
(ii) data of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration relating to 
storm surge modeling; 
(B) any relevant information of the United 
States Geological Survey on stream flows, water-
shed characteristics, and topography that is use-
ful in the identification of flood hazard areas, as 
determined by the Director; 
(C) any relevant information on land sub-
sidence, coastal erosion areas, and other floor-re-
lated hazards; 
(D) any relevant information or data of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion and the United States Geological Survey re-
lating to the best available climate science and 
the potential for future inundation from sea level 
rise, increased precipitation, and increased in-
tensity of hurricanes due to global warming; and 
(E) any other relevant information as may 
be recommended by the Technical Mapping Advi-
sory Committee. 
(c) STANDARDS.—In updating and maintaining maps 
under this section, the Director shall—
(1) establish standards to—
(A) ensure that maps are adequate for—
(i) flood risk determinations; and 
(ii) use by State and local governments 
in managing development to reduce the risk 
of flooding; and 
(B) facilitate identification and use of con-
sistent methods of data collection and analysis 
by the Director, in conjunction with State and 
local governments, in developing maps for com-
munities with similar flood risks, as determined 
by the Director; and 
(2) publish maps in a format that is—
(A) digital geospatial data compliant; 
(B) compliant with the open publishing and 
data exchange standards established by the Open 
Geospatial Consortium; and 
(C) compliant with the North American 
Vertical Datum of 1998 for New Hydrologic and 
Hydraulic Engineering. 
(d) COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall—
(A) work to enhance communication and 
outreach to States, local communities, and prop-
erty owners about the effects of—
(i) any potential changes to National 
Flood Insurance Program rate maps that 
may result from the mapping program re-
quired under this section; and 
(ii) that any such changes may have 
on flood insurance purchase requirements; 
and 
(B) engage with local communities to en-
hance communication and outreach to the resi-
dents of such communities on the matters de-
scribed under subparagraph (A). 
(2) REQUIRED ACTIVITIES.—The communication 
and outreach activities required under paragraph (1) 
shall include—
(A) notifying property owners when their 
properties become included in, or when they are 
excluded from, an area having special flood haz-
ards and the effect of such inclusion or exclusion 
on the applicability of the mandatory flood in-
surance purchase requirement under section 102 
of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (42 
U.S.C. 4012a) to such properties; 
(B) educating property owners regarding 
the flood risk and reduction of this risk in their 
community, including the continued flood risks