The Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act amends federal flood insurance law to streamline approval for ecosystem restoration projects in flood-prone areas. The bill exempts these projects from flood insurance fee requirements when requesting updated flood maps, and allows communities to permit restoration projects in floodways that slightly raise water levels—up to 1 foot—provided a professional engineer certifies the increase won't harm structures or critical infrastructure and the community reports the results within 180 days. FEMA must issue guidance within 180 days to help federal and state agencies implement these new rules. The legislation primarily affects property owners, communities, and environmental organizations pursuing natural wetland and floodplain restoration while maintaining existing flood safety standards.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.