Billing Code: 9111-66-P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency
[Docket ID FEMA-2023-0026]
RIN 1660-AB12
FEMA Policy: Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS)
AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is announcing the
availability of the final FEMA policy, Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS).
This policy provides detail, consistent with applicable regulations, on applicability,
processes, resources, and responsibilities for implementing the FFRMS as part of FEMA’s 8step decision making process for carrying out the directives of Executive Order 11988,
Floodplain Management, as amended.
DATES: The announcement of this policy is published in the Federal Register on [INSERT
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]. The policy will be
effective on September 9, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Portia Ross, Policy and Integration
Division Director, Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation, Resilience,
DHS/FEMA, 400 C St., SW, Suite 313, Washington, DC 20472-3020. Phone: 202-7090677; E-mail: fema-regulations@fema.dhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEMA is issuing this policy complementary to 44
CFR Part 9, Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands, which governs FEMA’s
implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS). This policy
facilitates implementation of FFRMS and bolsters the resilience of communities and Federal
assets against the impacts of flooding.

Consistent with the final rule that is also published in today’s edition of the Federal
Register, this policy requires that FEMA determine the appropriate vertical flood elevation
and corresponding horizontal FFRMS floodplain for Actions Subject to the FFRMS using
either the Climate Informed Science Approach (CISA), the Freeboard Value Approach
(FVA), or the 0.2 Percent Annual Chance Flood Approach (0.2PFA). Under the final policy,
FEMA will determine the FFRMS flood elevation and corresponding FFRMS floodplain
according to CISA for all locations where CISA is available where the best-available,
actionable hydrologic and hydraulic data and methods that integrate current and future
changes in flooding based on climate science exist. When using CISA, for non-critical
actions the FFRMS floodplain will be at least as restrictive as the 1% annual chance (AC)
flood elevation and corresponding horizontal floodplain,1 and for critical actions the FFRMS
floodplain will be at least as restrictive as the 0.2% AC flood elevation and corresponding
horizontal floodplain. For locations where CISA is not available and actionable, FEMA will
determine the FFRMS elevation and FFRMS floodplain for non-critical actions by using the
area that would be inundated by the lower of the 0.2% AC flood or +2-foot FVA. For critical
actions, FEMA will determine the FFRMS elevation and FFRMS floodplain using the area
that would be inundated by the higher of the 0.2% AC flood or +3-foot FVA. (For locations
where information about the elevation and/or extent of the 0.2% AC floodplain is not
available, the FFRMS floodplain will be the +3-foot FVA for critical actions and +2-foot
FVA for non-critical actions).
This policy also outlines FEMA’s process to identify actions that may receive
substantial damage or substantial improvement determinations, requires consideration of
natural features and nature-based approaches as alternatives to a proposed action, explains

In coastal areas Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) provide 1% AC
flood elevations that account for the effects of wave action. However, 0.2% AC flood elevations are generally
stillwater elevations that do not account for the effects of wave action. In coastal areas, if the 0.2% AC flood
elevation does not account for the effects of wave action, the FVA flood elevation must be used.
requirements to minimize flood risk, and encourages early coordination when multiple
Federal agencies are jointly engaged in an action to ensure a consistent approach to
determine which floodplain determination is applied.
Authority: Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management, as amended and
implementing regulations of 44 CFR part 9, among other authorities listed in the proposed
policy.


Deanne B. Criswell,
Administrator,
Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2024-15170 Filed: 7/10/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 7/11/2024]