Cadastral Consulting, LLC

         Quality Continuing Education for the Surveying, Land Use, and Design Professional

FEMA has revamped the way it assesses flood insurance premiums through what it is calling Risk Rating 2.0. This approach is meant to provide a more fair and more site-specific approach to setting premiums, and changes some of the variables. While the Elevation Certificate may not be required for flood insurance rating under Risk Rating 2.0, the form still provides important information above and beyond the datasets in the new software utilized by insurance agents. Risk Rating 2.0 became effective for all NFIP flood insurance policies as of April 1, 2022.

Of course, Elevation Certificates remain a vital part of local floodplain management as a tool for tracking lowest floor elevations and permit processes, as well as for submitting information when applying for Letters of Map Amendment and Letters of Map Revision Based on Fill.

OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS

FEMA has initiated a program called Building Resilient Infrastructure and COmmunities, shortened to BRIC, to help communities, states, tribes and territories undertake mitigation projects. Information on funding and technical assistance is available on the FEMA website here.

FEMA periodically revises forms for map change applications. Click below for links to the most current forms. Yes, some of the dates on the forms are old!

• MT–EZ form for Letters of Map Amendments (revised April 2017)
• MT–1 form for Letters of Map Amendment and Letters of Map Revision Based on Fill (revised October 2021)
• MT–2 forms for Letters of Map Revision (expires January 31, 2024)

For the links on FEMA's website most frequently used by surveyors, engineers, and architects (including forms and documents), see "Working with Flood Risk: Engineers, Surveyors or Architects".

FEMA's Map Service Center provides historical flood maps as well as the most current versions. Letters of Map Change are available through the same pages as the currently effective maps, listed by community. Flood Insurance Study rerports, where available, are accessed through the home page tab for “Product Catalog”, along with DFIRM databases and Community Status books.

FEMA's contact center for the Map Service Center (MSC) has been consolidated with the FEMA Map Assistance Center (FMAC). The phone number for MSC is 1–877–FEMA MAP  (1–877–336–2627). To reflect the consolidation of the contact centers the name of the expanded FEMA Map Assistance Center is now the FEMA Map Information eXchange, or FMIX.

FEMA has not issued paper maps (effective October 1, 2009) beyond a single set to participating NFIP communities. All map users must be familiar with FEMA's on–line Map Service Center for viewing and downloading digital mapping data.

FEMA offers On Line Tutorials on a variety of technical and regulatory topics.

FEMA's Glossary provides definitions of words and phrases relating to floodplain management. Other resources are the NFIP Terminology Index and the FloodSmart Glossary Note that these definitions may not be identical to those listed in 44 CFR 59.1, which is the section of the Code of Federal Regulations with official definitions for the operation of the NFIP.

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FEMA's Bulletin 467–1 Guidance for Elevation Certificates

Although written in 2004 to assist in completion of the version that is now outdated, a useful publication explaining the use and proper completion of the Elevation Certificate is FEMA's Floodplain Manangement Bulletin 467-1. Because it has never been updated to reflect reorganization of material in the Elevation Certificate, please note that references to particular lines may not be appropriate for the current form, and the two diagrams introdeced in 2010 are not included. However, the “how to” information regarding content is valuable. Bulletin 467-1 can be downloaded here. (PDF file, 640 KB)

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Cadastral Consulting offers seminars, in–house training, and consulting services in floodplain management. Please follow the links below for descriptions of present educational offerings. We are can also provide customized services in helping your staff or organization meet its needs.

• Design, Land Use, and Planning in the NFIP
• Elevation Certificates
• FEMA Flood Insurance Mapping Issues
• Floodplain Development: Technical Guidance
• Floodplain Management Customized Courses
• From A to Z in the NFIP (or "A" is for "Accessory Building", "Z" is for "Zone") (two days)
• Preserving a Sense of Place in an Increasingly Wet World
• Succeeding in the NFIP

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