H.R. 6256: Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act

This bill, known as the Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act, aims to make several changes to the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 specifically regarding ecosystem restoration projects.

Key Provisions of the Bill

• Ecosystem Restoration Projects Defined: The bill defines an ecosystem restoration project as any project intended to either recover natural functions to a degraded aquatic resource or floodplain, or to improve specific beneficial functions of such environments.
• Fee Exemption: It eliminates the need for a requester to pay review or processing fees when requesting changes to flood insurance rate maps that are linked to ecosystem restoration projects.
• Conditional Approval Exemption: It allows communities to approve ecosystem restoration projects in areas designated as regulatory floodways even if these projects might increase flood elevations. This is contingent on several factors:
  • A professional engineer must determine that the project will not raise flood levels by more than one foot, or another relevant limit set by the Administrator of FEMA.
  • No insurable structures or critical infrastructures should be negatively impacted by the increased flood elevation.
  • Communities must submit an analysis of the changes caused by the project within 180 days after its completion.
• Guidance Issuance: The bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator to issue guidance for implementing the changes outlined in the bill within 180 days after it is enacted, in conjunction with relevant federal and state natural resource agencies.
• Preservation of Notification Procedures: It clarifies that existing procedures for notifying landowners about developments in regulatory floodways remain unchanged by this bill.

Summary of Goals

The overarching aim of the legislation is to promote the restoration and enhancement of floodplain and aquatic ecosystems while simplifying the process for communities to initiate such restoration activities. By exempting certain projects from fees and regulatory obstacles, the bill seeks to support environmental recovery efforts that may also have beneficial impacts on flood management.

Relevant Companies

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