02-27959. Suspension of Community Eligibility

AGENCY:

Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

This rule identifies communities, where the sale of flood insurance has been authorized under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), that are suspended on the effective dates listed within this rule because of noncompliance with the floodplain management requirements of the program. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) receives documentation that the community has adopted the required floodplain management measures prior to the effective suspension date given in this rule, the suspension will be withdrawn by publication in the Federal Register.

EFFECTIVE DATES:

The effective date of each community's suspension is the third date (“Susp.”) listed in the third column of the following tables.

ADDRESSES:

If you wish to determine whether a particular community was suspended on the suspension date, contact the appropriate FEMA Regional Office or the NFIP servicing contractor.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Edward Pasterick, Division Director, Risk Communication Division, Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, 500 C Street, SW.; Room 411, Washington, DC 20472, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The NFIP enables property owners to purchase flood insurance which is generally not otherwise available. In return, communities agree to adopt and administer local floodplain management aimed at protecting lives and new construction from future flooding. Section 1315 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4022, prohibits flood insurance coverage as authorized under the National Flood Insurance Program, 42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.; unless an appropriate public body adopts adequate floodplain management measures with effective enforcement measures. The communities listed in this document no longer meet that statutory requirement for compliance with program regulations, 44 CFR part 59 et seq. Accordingly, the communities will be suspended on the effective date in the third column. As of that date, flood insurance will no longer be available in the community. However, some of these communities may adopt and submit the required documentation of legally enforceable floodplain management measures after this rule is published but prior to the actual suspension date. These communities will not be suspended and will continue their eligibility for the sale of insurance. A notice withdrawing the suspension of the communities will be published in the Federal Register.

In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has identified the special flood hazard areas in these communities by publishing a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). The date of the FIRM if one has been published, is indicated in the fourth column of the table. No direct Federal financial assistance (except assistance pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act not in connection with a flood) may legally be provided for construction or acquisition of buildings in the identified special flood hazard area of communities not participating in the NFIP and identified for more than a year, on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's initial flood insurance map of the community as having flood-prone areas (section 202(a) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, 42 U.S.C. 4106(a), as amended). This prohibition against certain types of Federal assistance becomes effective for the communities listed on the date shown in the last column. The Administrator finds that notice and public comment under 5 U.S.C. 553(b) are impracticable and unnecessary because communities listed in this final rule have been adequately notified.

Each community receives a 6-month, 90-day, and 30-day notification addressed to the Chief Executive Officer that the community will be suspended unless the required floodplain management measures are met prior to the effective suspension date. Since these notifications have been made, this final rule may take effect within less than 30 days.

National Environmental Policy Act. This rule is categorically excluded from the requirements of 44 CFR part 10, Environmental Considerations. No environmental impact assessment has been prepared.

Regulatory Flexibility Act. The Administrator has determined that this rule is exempt from the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act because the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4022, prohibits flood insurance coverage unless an appropriate public body adopts adequate floodplain management measures with effective enforcement measures. The communities listed no longer comply with the statutory requirements, and after the effective date, flood insurance will no longer be available in the communities unless they take remedial action.

Regulatory Classification. This final rule is not a significant regulatory action under the criteria of section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866 of September 30, 1993, Regulatory Planning and Review, 58 FR 51735.

Paperwork Reduction Act. This rule does not involve any collection of information for purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

Executive Order 12612, Federalism. This rule involves no policies that have federalism implications under Executive Order 12612, Federalism, October 26, 1987, 3 CFR, 1987 Comp.; p. 252.

Executive Order 12778, Civil Justice Reform. This rule meets the applicable standards of section 2(b)(2) of Executive Order 12778, October 25, 1991, 56 FR 55195, 3 CFR, 1991 Comp.; p. 309.

List of Subjects in 44 CFR Part 64

• Flood insurance
• Floodplains

Accordingly, 44 CFR part 64 is amended as follows:

PART 64—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for Part 64 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp.; p. 329; E.O. 12127, 44 FR 19367, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp.; p. 376.

§ 64.6

[Amended]

2. The tables published under the authority of § 64.6 are amended as follows:

State and location	Community No.	Effective date authorization/cancellation of sale of flood insurance community	Current effective map date	Date certain federal assistance no longer available in special flood hazard areas
Region III
West Virginia:
Capon Bridge, Town of, Hampshire County	540046	May 13, 1975, Emerg.; April 1, 1988, Reg.; November 7, 2002	Nov. 7, 2002	11/7/02
Hampshire County, Unincorporated Areas	540226	January 19, 1976, Emerg.; August 1, 1987, Reg.; November 7, 2002	......do	Do.
Romney, Town of, Hampshire County	540276	April 25, 1975, Emerg.; June 15, 1988, Reg.; November 7, 2002	......do
Region IV
Tennessee:
Chattanooga, City of, Hamilton County	470072	March 3, 1972, Emerg.; September 3, 1980, Reg.; November 7, 2002	......do	Do.
Hamilton County, Unincorporated Areas	470071	March 3, 1972, Emerg.; August 1, 1979, Reg.; November 7, 2002	......do	Do.
Signal Mountain, Town of, Hamilton County	470078	September 23, 1977, Emerg.; June 28, 1979, Reg.; November 7, 2002	......do	Do.
Region V
Minnesota:
Vadnais Heights, City of, Ramsey County	270385	July 3, 1974, Emerg.; June 30, 1976, Reg.; November 7, 2002	......do	Do.
Region IV
Alabama:
Cowarts, Town of, Houston County	010103	October 29, 1998, Emerg.; November 21, 2002, Reg.; November 21, 2002	Nov. 7, 2002	11/21/02
Madrid, Town of, Houston County	010107	November 6, 1975, Emerg.; July 18, 1985, Reg.; November 21, 2002	......do	Do.
Webb, Town of, Houston County	010109	August 26, 1975, Emerg.; May 15, 1985, Reg.; November 21, 2002	......do	Do.
Tennessee:
Portland, City of, Sumner County	470187	February 14, 1975, Emerg.; August 4, 1987, Reg.; November 21, 2002	......do	Do.
Region V
Ohio:
Niles, City of, Trumbull County	390540	March 5, 1974, Emerg.; June 1, 1978, Reg.; November 21, 2002	......do	Do.
Wisconsin:
Sheboygan County, Unincorporated Areas	550424	April 4, 1973, Emerg.; July 17, 1978, Reg.; November 21, 2002	......do	Do.
Sheboygan, City of, Sheboygan County	550430	April 23, 1971, Emerg.; March 15, 1977, Reg.; November 21, 2002	......do	Do.
Code for reading third column: Emerg.—Emergency; Reg.—Regular; Susp.—Suspension.

Dated: October 25, 2002.

Anthony S. Lowe,

Administrator, Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration.