FFRMS Implementing Guidelines Issued
After a perfunctory meeting lasting a mere 17 minutes, the Water Resources Council issued the final guidelines to implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. Regrettably, neither the guidelines nor the related appendices provide the technical, scientific and economic basis for the three standards by which federal agencies shall prescribe the new, expanded FFRMS vertical elevations and corresponding lateral floodplain boundaries, despite repeated requests for this information.
In response to the notice of the WRC meeting, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran sent a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, designated to act as council chairman. Chairman Cochran’s letter expresses concern about the Administration’s actions to resurrect the Council given the lack of appropriations in more than 30 years, and sets forth specific questions concerning the standard. The letter may be viewed here: Cochran Letter to Jewell_FFRMS 8OCT2015
The Final Implementing Guidelines and related appendices can be viewed on FEMA’s website: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/110377