SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE AND LOCAL LAND USE 
CONTROLS. 
Subsection (a) of section 1315 of the National Flood 
Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4022(a)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) ALLOWABLE LOCAL VARIANCES FOR CER-
TAIN AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURES.— 
‘‘(A) 
REQUIREMENT.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of this Act— 
‘‘(i) the land use and control meas-
ures adopted pursuant to paragraph (1) 
may not, for purposes of such paragraph, 
be considered to be inadequate or incon-
sistent with the comprehensive criteria for 
land management and use under section 
1361 because such measures provide that, 
in the case of any agricultural structure 
that is located in an area having special 
flood hazards, a variance from compliance 
with the requirements to elevate or 
floodproof such a structure and meeting 
the requirements of subparagraph (B) may 
be granted; and 
‘‘(ii) the Administrator may not sus-
pend a community from participation in 
the national flood insurance program, or 
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place such a community on probation 
under such program, because such land 
use and control measures provide for such 
a variance. 
This subparagraph shall not limit the ability of 
the Administrator to take enforcement action 
against a community that does not adopt ade-
quate variance criteria or establish proper en-
forcement mechanisms. 
‘‘(B) VARIANCE; CONSIDERATIONS.—The 
requirements of this subparagraph with respect 
to a variance are as follows: 
‘‘(i) The variance is granted by an of-
ficial from a duly constituted State or local 
zoning authority, or other authorized pub-
lic body responsible for regulating land de-
velopment or occupancy in flood-prone 
areas. 
‘‘(ii) In the case of new construction, 
such official has determined— 
‘‘(I) that neither floodproofing 
nor elevation of the new structure to 
the base flood elevation is practicable; 
and 
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‘‘(II) that the structure is not lo-
cated in— 
‘‘(aa) a designated regu-
latory floodway; 
‘‘(bb) an area riverward of a 
levee or other flood control struc-
ture; or 
‘‘(cc) an area subject to high 
velocity wave action or seaward 
of flood control structures. 
‘‘(iii) In the case of existing struc-
tures— 
‘‘(I) if such structure is substan-
tially damaged or in need of substan-
tial repairs or improvements, such of-
ficial has determined that neither 
floodproofing nor elevation to the base 
flood elevation is practicable; and 
‘‘(II) if such structure is located 
within a designated regulatory flood-
way, such official has determined that 
the repair or improvement does not 
result in any increase in base flood 
levels during the base flood discharge. 
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‘‘(iv) Such official has determined 
that the variance will not result in in-
creased flood heights, additional threats to 
public safety, extraordinary public expense, 
create nuisances, cause fraud on or victim-
ization of the public, or conflict with exist-
ing local laws or ordinances. 
‘‘(v) Not more than one claim pay-
ment exceeding $1,000 has been made for 
the structure under flood insurance cov-
erage under this title within any period of 
10 consecutive years at any time prior to 
the granting of the variance. 
‘‘(C) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this 
paragraph, the following definitions shall apply: 
‘‘(i) AGRICULTURAL
STRUCTURE.— 
The term ‘agricultural structure’ has the 
meaning given such term in paragraph 
(2)(D), except that such term includes not 
more than one single-family dwelling lo-
cated on the same property as the agricul-
tural operation at the date of enactment of 
this Act, but only if such dwelling is occu-
pied by the owner or operator of the oper-
ation. 
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‘‘(ii) 
FLOODPROOFING.—The 
term 
‘floodproofing’ means, with respect to a 
structure, any combination of structural 
and non-structural additions, changes, or 
adjustments to the structure that reduce 
or eliminate potential flood damage to real 
estate or improved real property, water 
and sanitary facilities, structures, or their 
contents.’’. 
SEC. 3. PREMIUM RATES. 
Section 1308 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 
1968 (42 U.S.C. 4015) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
‘‘(n) PREMIUM RATES FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL 
STRUCTURES WITH VARIANCES.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of this Act, the chargeable premium rate 
for coverage under this title for any structure provided a 
variance pursuant to section 1315(a)(3) shall be the same 
as the rate that otherwise would apply to such structure 
if the structure had been dry floodproofed.’’. 
SEC. 4. LEVEE-IMPACTED AREAS. 
Section 1360 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 
1968 (42 U.S.C. 4101) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
‘‘(k) LEVEE-IMPACTED AREAS.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject only to full imple-
mentation of subparagraphs (A)(iii) and (B) of sec-
tion 100216(b)(1) of the Biggert-Waters Flood In-
surance 
Reform 
Act 
of 
2012 
(42 
U.S.C. 
4101b(b)(1)) and notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, if a community that applies to the Ad-
ministrator for the remapping of a levee-impacted 
area in which the pertinent levee system fails to 
meet the national flood insurance program’s min-
imum design, operation, and maintenance standards 
required for levee accreditation on a flood insurance 
rate map— 
‘‘(A) the Administrator shall establish 
flood risk zones for those areas on such maps 
to be known as AL zones; and 
‘‘(B) flood insurance shall be made avail-
able to properties located within such zones at 
actuarial rates based upon the risk associated 
with structures within the applicable AL zones. 
‘‘(2) TRANSITION.—Before the Administrator 
has developed actuarial rates for the various AL 
zones, covered structures within the portions of the 
community located within the levee-impacted area 
shall be eligible for rates associated with areas of 
moderate flood hazards.’’. 
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(e) SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE WITH GENERAL 
POLICY FORM.— 
(1) REQUIREMENTS.—Coverage provided under 
the pilot program shall be consistent with, and as 
substantially identical as possible to, the terms, con-
ditions, and exclusions found in the General Prop-
erty Form of the Standard Flood Insurance Policy, 
as set forth in Appendix A(2) to Part 61 of title 44, 
Code of Federal Regulations. 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—Notwithstanding any 
applicable rulemaking requirements, to the extent 
necessary to implement the pilot program under this 
section, the Administrator may issue endorsements 
to the General Policy Form of the Standard Flood 
Insurance Policy, as set forth in the Appendix re-
ferred to in paragraph (1), except that no such en-
dorsement may be issued before the expiration of the 
6-month period beginning upon publication of such 
endorsement in the Federal Register. 
(f) 
EXCLUSIVE
USE
OF
DIRECT
SERVICING 
AGENT.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, or 
arrangements entered into under section 1340 of the Na-
tional Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4071), the 
Administrator shall sell contracts for coverage under the 
pilot program under this section only through the facilities 
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of the Administrator’s direct serving agent for the national 
flood insurance program. 
(g) LIMITATION
ON REFORMATION
OF EXISTING 
POLICIES.—The Administrator may not sell a contract for 
coverage under the pilot program under this section for 
a structure that covers any period during which the struc-
ture is covered under another contract for insurance cov-
erage made available under the National Flood Insurance 
Act of 1968. 
(h) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to limit or restrict the Administra-
tor’s authority to provide, by regulation, for general terms 
and conditions of flood insurance for multiple structures 
under one flood insurance policy pursuant to sections 
1305 and 1306 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 
1968 (42 U.S.C. 4012, 4013). 
(i) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Administrator may not 
sell any policy for flood insurance coverage under the pilot 
program under this section before the expiration of the 
6-month period beginning upon publication in the Federal 
Register of notice describing the pilot program and setting 
forth the general terms and conditions of endorsements 
to be sold under the program. 
(j) TERMINATION.—The pilot program under this 
section shall terminate upon, and the Administrator may 
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not sell any policy for flood insurance coverage under the 
pilot program after, the expiration of the 6-year period 
beginning upon the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(k) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than the expi-
ration of the 5-year period beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit a 
report to the Congress describing and evaluating the pilot 
program under this section. 
Æ 
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