Source: http://ecfr.io/Title-44/pt44.1.78
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 02:50:05+00:00

Document:
§78.5 Flood Mitigation Plan development.
§78.6 Flood Mitigation Plan approval process.
§78.9 Planning grant approval process.
§78.10 Project grant approval process.
§78.11 Minimum project eligibility criteria.
§78.12 Eligible types of projects.
Authority: 6 U.S.C. 101; 42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.; 42 U.S.C. 4104c, 4104d; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978, 43 FR 41943, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 329; E.O. 12127, 44 FR 19367, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 376; E.O. 12148, 44 FR 43239, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 412; E.O. 13286, 68 FR 10619, 3 CFR, 2003 Comp., p. 166.
Source: 62 FR 13347, Mar. 20, 1997, unless otherwise noted.
(a) The purpose of this part is to prescribe actions, procedures, and requirements for administration of the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program, authorized by Sections 1366 and 1367 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, 42 U.S.C. 4104c and 4104d. The rules in this part apply to the administration of funds awarded under the FMA program for which the application period opened prior to December 3, 2007. On or after that date, the administration of funds awarded under FMA program shall be subject to the rules in part 79 of this subchapter.
(b) The purpose of FMA is to assist State and local governments in funding cost-effective actions that reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to buildings, manufactured homes, and other insured structures. The long-term goal of FMA is to reduce or eliminate claims under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through mitigation activities. The program provides cost-shared grants for three purposes: Planning Grants to States and communities to assess the flood risk and identify actions to reduce that risk; Project Grants to execute measures to reduce flood losses; and Technical Assistance Grants that States may use to assist communities to develop viable FMA applications and implement FMA projects. FMA also outlines a process for development and approval of Flood Mitigation Plans.
(2) A political subdivision of a State, or other authority, that is designated to develop and administer a mitigation plan by political subdivisions, all of which meet the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(3) Award all FMA project grants, after evaluating applications for minimum eligibility criteria and ensuring compliance with applicable Federal laws.
(5) Submit performance and financial reports to FEMA in compliance with 2 CFR 200.327 and 200.328.
(5) Account for the appropriate use of grant funds to the State POC.
(a) The State is eligible to apply for grants for Technical Assistance.
(b) State agencies and communities are eligible to apply for Planning and Project Grants and to act as subgrantee. Communities on probation or suspended under 44 CFR part 60 of the NFIP are not eligible. To be eligible for Project Grants, an eligible applicant will develop, and have approved by the FEMA Regional Administrator , a Flood Mitigation Plan in accordance with §78.5.
(a) Description of the planning process and public involvement. Public involvement may include workshops, public meetings, or public hearings.
(b) Description of the existing flood hazard and identification of the flood risk, including estimates of the number and type of structures at risk, repetitive loss properties, and the extent of flood depth and damage potential.
(c) The applicant's floodplain management goals for the area covered by the plan.
(d) Identification and evaluation of cost-effective and technically feasible mitigation actions considered.
(e) Presentation of the strategy for reducing flood risks and continued compliance with the NFIP, and procedures for ensuring implementation, reviewing progress, and recommending revisions to the plan.
(f) Documentation of formal plan adoption by the legal entity submitting the plan (e.g., Governor, Mayor, County Executive).
The State POC will forward all Flood Mitigation Plans to the FEMA Regional Administrator for approval. The Regional Administrator will notify the State POC of the approval or disapproval of the plan within 120 days after submission. If the Regional Administrator does not approve a mitigation plan, the Regional Administrator will notify the State POC of the reasons for non-approval and offer suggestions for improvement.
States will apply for Technical Assistance and Planning Grants through the annual Cooperative Agreement between FEMA and the State. The State POC will be notified regarding their available funds for project grants each fiscal year. The State may forward project applications to FEMA for review at any time.
(a) The Administrator will allocate the available funds for FMA each fiscal year. Each State will receive a base amount of $10,000 for Planning Grants and $100,000 for Project Grants, with the remaining funds distributed based on the number of NFIP policies, repetitive loss structures, and other such criteria as the Administrator may determine in furtherance of the disaster resistant community concept.
(b) A maximum of $1,500,000 may be allocated for Planning Grants nationally each fiscal year. A Planning Grant will not be awarded to a State or community more than once every 5 years, and an individual Planning Grant will not exceed $150,000 to any State agency applicant, or $50,000 to any community applicant. The total Planning Grant made in any fiscal year to any State, including all communities located in the State, will not exceed $300,000.
(c) A maximum of ten percent of the funds available for Project Grants will be allocated to Technical Assistance grants each fiscal year.
(d) The total amount of FMA Project Grant funds provided during any 5-year period will not exceed $10,000,000 to any State or $3,300,000 to any community. The total amount of Project Grant funds provided to any State, including all communities located in the State will not exceed $20,000,000 during any 5-year period.
The State POC will evaluate and approve applications for Planning Grants. Funds will be provided only for the flood portion of any mitigation plan, and Planning Grants will not be awarded to develop new or improved floodplain maps. The performance period for each Planning Grant will not exceed 3 years.
The State POC will solicit applications from eligible applicants, review projects for eligibility, and select applications for funding. Those project applications will then be forwarded to FEMA for final approval. FEMA will provide funding on a project by project basis through a supplement to the annual Cooperative Agreement. The FEMA Regional Administrator will notify States regarding the program schedule at the beginning of each fiscal year.
(a) Be cost-effective, not costing more than the anticipated value of the reduction in both direct damages and subsequent negative impacts to the area if future floods were to occur. Both costs and benefits are computed on a net present value basis.
(b) Be in conformance with 44 CFR part 9, Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands; Executive Order 12699, Seismic Safety of Federal and Federally Assisted or Regulated New Building Construction; and any applicable environmental laws and regulations.
(d) Be in conformance with the minimum standards of the NFIP Floodplain Management Regulations at 44 CFR part 60.
(e) Be in conformance with the Flood Mitigation Plan; the type of project being proposed must be identified in the plan.
(f) Be located physically in a participating NFIP community that is not on probation or must benefit such community directly by reducing future flood damages.
The following types of projects are eligible for funding through FMA, providing they meet all other eligibility criteria.
(a) Acquisition of insured structures and underlying real property in fee simple and easements restricting real property to open space uses.
(b) Relocation of insured structures from acquired or restricted real property to non hazard-prone sites.
(c) Demolition and removal of insured structures on acquired or restricted real property.
(d) Elevation of insured residential structures in accordance with 44 CFR 60.3.
(e) Elevation or dry floodproofing of insured non-residential structures in accordance with 44 CFR 60.3.
(f) Other activities that bring an insured structure into compliance with the floodplain management requirements at 44 CFR 60.3.
(g) Minor physical flood mitigation projects that reduce localized flooding problems and do not duplicate the flood prevention activities of other Federal agencies.
(a) FEMA may contribute up to 75 percent of the total eligible costs of each grant. At least 25 percent of the total eligible costs will be provided from a nonFederal source. Of this amount, not more than one half will be provided from in-kind contributions. Allowable costs will be governed by 2 CFR parts 200 and 3002.
(b) The grantee must submit performance and financial reports to FEMA and must ensure that all subgrantees are aware of their responsibilities under 2 CFR parts 200 and 3002.
(c) FEMA will recapture any funds provided to a State or a community under FMA and deposit the amounts in the National Flood Mitigation Fund if the applicant has not provided the appropriate matching funds, the approved project has not been completed within the timeframes specified in the grant agreement, or the completed project does not meet the criteria specified in the regulations in this part.
For the purposes of this part, alternative procedures are available which allow the community to coordinate directly with FEMA in implementing the program. These alternative procedures are available in the following circumstances. Native American tribes or authorized tribal organizations may submit plans and applications to the State POC or directly to the FEMA Regional Administrator . If a Governor chooses not to identify a POC to coordinate the FMA, communities may also submit plans and applications to the FEMA Regional Administrator.

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