FEMA Adopts New Rule to Improve Flood Resilience by Redefining Floodplain Standards Amid Rising Climate Change Risks
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced a significant policy change aimed at enhancing community resilience to flooding by redefining the floodplain standards it uses to determine safe building locations. This move follows an executive order from President Joe Biden, compelling government agencies to incorporate climate change impacts into their flood risk assessments.
Historically, FEMA and other federal agencies have defined a floodplain based on an area having a 1 percent chance of flooding in any given year, known as the 100-year floodplain standard. However, this standard has proved insufficient, as floods frequently submerge buildings outside these designated zones. The new rule requires FEMA to factor in the effects of climate change, such ...