Updates to Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands Regulations To Implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard

On October 2, 2023, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and supplementary policy that proposed to implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) and update the agency's 8-step decision- making process for floodplain reviews by changing how FEMA defines a floodplain with respect to certain actions and how FEMA uses natural systems, ecosystem processes, and nature-based approaches when developing alternatives to locating a proposed action in the floodplain. After a careful review of the public comments received, FEMA is now issuing a final rule that implements the proposed rule, with some minor amendments.