Delware’s Floodplain Management Newsletter

WatermarkWatermarkJuly 2021

October1,2021isfastapproachingandwithittheimplementationoftheFederalEmergencyManagementAgency’snewRiskRating2.0floodinsurancepricingmethodology.FEMAhaslongbeenplanningtochangehowfloodinsurancepoliciesareassessedtobetterreflectaproperty’srealfloodriskandensurethelongevityoftheNationalFloodInsuranceProgram(NFIP).RiskRating2.0isdesignedtoemployindustrybestpracticesandavailabletechnologiestodeliverinsuranceratesthatareactuarilysound,equitableandeasierforpropertyownerstounderstand.Theprogramistobeimplementedovertwophases.

Read more on page 2

DELAWAREDEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONM

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Articles in this edition:

Risk Rating 2.0; Answers to

Common Questionspg. 1 - 2

DE Substantial Improvement/Substantial

Damage Training Course pg. 3

Certified Floodplain Manager Exam

Going Digital? pg. 4

RASCL Coffee Hour pg.4

Updates to the Delaware Flood

Planning Tool pg. 5

FEMA BRIC Building Code Activities pg. 6 - 7

Risk Rating 2.0 Answers to Common Questions About

FEMA’s New Flood Insurance Rating System

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Phase1isscheduledtostartOctober1whichwillrequireallnewandexistingpolicieseligibleforrenewaltousethenewratingmethod.Phase2,beginningApril1,2022,willrequireallremainingpoliciesrenewedtoutilizethenew23ratingmethod.

InDelaware,therearecurrentlyanestimated26,100floodinsurancepoliesineffectthroughtheNFIP.Thereareanestimated363,000propertiesinthestatethatarenotcoveredbyanNFIPpolicy.FEMA’scoremissionistopromotecommunityresiliencythroughemphasisonthepurchaseoffloodinsuranceandmitigativeactions.

FEMAestimatesinDelawarethat38%ofexistingpolicyholderswillseeanimmediatediscountwiththenewratingmethod.However,52%ofpolicyholdersareexpectedtoseeanannualincreaseofuptoa$120,8%uptoa$240increase,andgreaterthana$240increaseannuallyfor2%ofpolicyholders.FEMAclaimsthatformost,increasestofloodinsurancepremiumschargedwillnotbesignificantlydifferentfromthecurrentplanbutunderRiskRating2.0,premiumincreaseswilleventuallystoponcethefullriskrateisreached.Increasestopremiumcostsarelimitedtoan18%peryearcapasestablishedbyCongress.

PropertyownersarestillencouragedtopurchasefloodinsuranceandtakestepstoloweryourinsuranceratesthroughmitigativeeffortssuchasinstallingfloodopeningswhereneededorelevatingequipmentthatispronetofloodingorbelowtheBaseFloodElevation.

Risk Rating 2.0

CommunitiesshouldbeknowledgeableaboutthenewRiskRating2.0methodologytohelpaddressquestionsfromtheirconstituentsandbeabletoprovideassistancetoapplyforavailablemitigationgrants.ParticipationintheCommunityRatingSystemprogramcanalsoprovideinsurancepremiumdiscountsforanNFIP-participatingcommunity.FormoreinformationonRiskRating2.0, please also keepaneyeopenforupcomingwebinarsandseetheFEMAvideoonRiskRating2.0.

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FEMA video on Risk Rating 2.0

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Training CourseDelaware Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage

With the release of the new Delaware SubstantialImprovement/SubstantialDamageGuidancePlan,theDNRECDivisionofWatershedStewardshiphadtheopportunityonMay20,2021topresentanonlinetrainingcoursetoseverallocalcommunitiescoveringtheguidanceplan.ThetrainingcourseprovidedattendeesanoverviewofeachofthemajorstepsintheSI/SDdeterminationprocessandtherelatedprogramforms.ThisinformationcanhelpeachcommunitydetermineifitscurrentstrategiescomplywiththeregulationsandprovidethebasicframeworkthatisneededforaSI/SDStandardOperationProcedure(SOP).

Forthosewhocouldn’tattendand,inanefforttoreachasmanycommunitiesaspossible,werecordedthetrainingcourseandhavemadeitavailableontheDNRECYouTubechanneltowatchatyourconvenience.TheSI/SDGuidanceplan withtheincludeddocumentationisavailablefordownloadattheDNRECfloodplainmanagementwebsite.

Pleasereachouttouswithanyquestionsorcommentsthatyoumighthaveconcerningthetopicorifyouwouldliketoseesomeadditionalspecifictraining.YoucanfindadditionalinformationwithFEMA’sSubstantialImprovement/SubstantialDamageDeskReference which providesguidanceontheminimalrequirementsoftheNFIPregulations.Inaddition,FEMA’sEmergencyManagementInstitute(EMI)offerstwoonlinecoursestohelpcommunityofficialsmakesubstantialdamagedeterminationsinaccordancewiththeNFIP,usingFEMA’sSubstantialDamageEstimator(SDE)software.IS-284:UsingtheSubstantialDamageEstimator3.0Tool

IS-285:SubstantialDamageEstimationforFloodplainAdministrators

Certified Floodplain Manager Exam Going Digital?

ItmaybecomemoreconvenienttotaketheCertifiedFloodplainManager(CFM)examinthenearfuture.TheAssociationofStateFloodplainManagers(ASFPM)hasannouncedthattheyareintheprocessofdevelopingadigitalCFMexam.TheASFPMhasnotifiedusthattheyhavenotlaunched

thisprogramyet,possiblyJuly2021,buthaveadvisedthattheyareconsideringofferingboththeexamdigitallyatanauthorizedtestingcenterorthroughuseofapersonalcomputer.Asmorenewsonthisdevelopingstoryisreleased,wewillkeepyouposted.

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RASCL Coffee Hour“MultiSolvingforClimateResilence”

July14at10amHowdowebuildlong-termresiliencetoclimatechangewhilealsocreatingshort-termco-benefits?

Multisolvinghelpsfindsolutionsrootedinjusticethatreducefossilfueluseandproduceco-benefitsinhealth,resilienceandwell-being.Joinusforacoffeehourwithourspeaker;

Dr. Elizabeth Sawinisco-founderandco-directorofClimateInteractive,athink-tankthathelpspeopleseewhatworkstoaddresssclimatechangeandrelatedisssueslikefood,healthandequity.

Registration is required. Register here.

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Updates to the Delaware Flood Planning Tool AreyoufamiliarwiththeDelawareFloodPlanningTool?ThisrecentlyupdatedonlineresourceisaninteractivewebmapapplicationdesignedtoaidinresearchingyourfloodriskinDelaware.Thisreferencetoolutilizesanupdateduserinterfacetoprovidesearchcapabilitiestolocateapropertyanddetermineifitislocatedwithinthemapped100-yearfloodplain.Thetoolprovidesamultitudeofadditionalinformationincluding: 1. ElevationGradeContours 2. FEMAFloodMapZones 3. FEMALettersofMapChange(LOMA,LOMR) 4. MunicipalityBoundaries 5. SeaLevelRise–CoastalInundationMapping(MHHW+1to+7) 6. TaxParcelIdentification 7. StreamCenterlinesforhydraulicmodeldownload 8. User’sGuide

Access the DelawareFloodPlanningTool.

FEMA Building Resilent Infrastructure and Communities

Building Code Activities

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TheBuildingResilientInfrastructureandCommunities(BRIC)programisaFEMAgrantprogramthatsupportsstatesandlocalcommunitiesastheyundertakehazardmitigationprojects,reducingtheriskstheyfacefromdisastersandnaturalhazards.BRICisaFEMApre-disasterhazardmitigationprogramthatreplacestheexistingPre-DisasterMitigation(PDM)program.

UndertheBRICprogram,buildingcodeadoptionandenforcementactivitiesareeligibleforfundingundertheState/TerritoryAllocation.FEMAstatesthateligiblebuildingcodeadoptionandenforcementactivitiesfortheBRICprogramincludeactivitiesthat:

• Evaluateadoptionand/orimplementationofcodesthatreducerisk. • Enhanceexistingadoptedcodestoincorporatemorecurrentrequirementsorhigherstandards. • Developprofessionalworkforcecapabilitiesthroughtechnicalassistanceandtraining.

AlistofpotentialbuildingcodeadoptionandenforcementactivitiesthatwouldfallunderBRIC’s“eligibleactivities”includes:

• Evaluationofwhichcodeadoptionandenforcementactivitiesarecompatiblefortheneedsofa particularjurisdiction. • Adoptionofbuildingcodesordevelopmentofbuildingcoderequirementsrelatedtolanduse, zoning,floodplainmanagement,infrastructure,urban-wildlanddefensiblespace(e.g.,building, stormwatermanagementregulations),orotherareas,thathelpimprovetheresiliencyofacommunity. • Improvingormodifyingthecurrentorexistingbuildingcoderequirementstoreflectthelatest codeedition,exceedthelatestcodeedition,ordevelopormodifybuildingcode-coordinated requirements,includingpublicationofrequirementsrelatedtolanduse,zoning,floodplain management,infrastructure,urban-wildlanddefensiblespace,orotherareas,thathelptoincreasethe resiliencyofacommunity. • Enhancingexistingadoptedcodesandenforcementtoincorporatemorecurrentrequirements, higherstandards,electronicpermitting,onlineaccesstomodelcode,virtualinspectiontechnology andremotebuildingcodeadministration. • Training,includingcertificationcourses(e.g.,inspector,plansreviewer,certifiedfloodplainmanager, etc.)andtrainingforpublicandprivatesectors. • Developmentofpost-disasterbuildingcodeenforcementplanning,trainingandexercisesthrough theInternationalCodeCouncil’sWhenDisasterStrikesInstitute • Developmentofactivitiestoimprovecodeenforcementprocesses,inspectionprograms, improvementofBCEGSscores,andtoimproveaCommunityRatingSystem(CRS).

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• Acquisitionofhardware,softwareandnecessarytrainingtoassistwithplanreviews,permitting, inspectionandrecordsretention.

• Purchaseofpublicationsinsupportofbuildingcodeactivities.

• Assistancethroughconsultingservicesinsupportofbuildingcodeactivities. • Buildingdepartmentaccreditationcosts. • Outreachactivitiesforpublicawarenessofnewrequirements.

TheFEMAGrantsOutcomes(FEMAGO)managementsystemwillbeusedfortheBRICprogram.Applicantsandsub-applicantscansubmit,track,andmanageallapplicationsinFEMAGO.PleasenotethattheEGrantssystemwillnotbeusedtoprocessanyBRICapplicationorsub-applicaiton.FindoutmoreonhowtousetheFEMA GO systemandtheapplicationprocess.

ThenextBRICapplicationperiodforfundingwillbethiscomingfallthroughJanuary2022.FormoreinformationandassistancewithaBRICapplicationpleasecontactKarenMontes-Berrios,StateHazardMitigationOfficer,DelawareEmergencyManagementAgencyat302-659-2249,oremail:Karen.Montes@delaware.gov.

Information for this article was taken from FEMA Program Support Material, BRIC Building Code Activities, August 2020.

FEMA (BRIC) Building Code Activities (cont.)

DavidJ.Warga,CFM

DNRECDivisionofWatershedStewardship

State Floodplain Manager

285BeiserBlvd,Suite102

Dover,DE19904

302-739-9921Office

david.warga@delaware.govD E L A W A R E D E P A R T M E N T O F NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

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