               NFIP Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
 
 Purpose and Need

Floods have been, and continue to be, the Nation's most destructive natural hazard in terms of disaster damages, economic losses and threats to people's lives.  Between 1955 and 2010 floods were estimated to have caused $356 billion in losses (an average of $6 billion each year in 2010 dollars). 

The U.S. Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) by passing the National Flood Insurance Act (NFIA) of 1968. The need for the NFIP arose out of the congressional recognition that: 

   * Flood disasters have created personal hardship and economic distress requiring unforeseen disaster relief measures that place an increasing burden on the Nation's resources; 

   * The existing preventative and structural protective measures have not been sufficient to protect against growing exposure to future flood losses; 

   * A reasonable method of sharing the risk of flood losses is through a flood insurance program that compliments and encourages preventative and protective measures; and 

   * With time and growing knowledge and experience, that such a program can expand and make flood insurance coverage available on reasonable terms and conditions to persons who have need for such protection.

This Federal action's purpose is to implement the Congressional mandate for a program that:

   * Provides continuing studies identifying flood hazards; 
   
   * Provides for a reasonable method of sharing the risk of flood losses through actuarially sound flood insurance;

   * Provides this flood insurance in exchange of State, Tribes, and local governments adoption of minimum land use controls established by FEMA that regulate development in land which is exposed to high risk of flood damage and minimize damage caused by flood losses; and

   * Encourages State, Tribes, and local governments to adopt land use controls and floodplain management standards that are higher than minimum standard required for NFIP participation.   

The NFIP must be consistent with National policies to protect and preserve the quality of the human environment such as, but not limited to, using program authorities:

   * In cooperation with State, Tribal, and local governments, and other concerned public and private organizations, in a manner calculated to foster and promote the general welfare, create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony, and fulfill the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans (National Environmental Policy Act);

   * In furtherance of the purposes of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by carrying out programs for the conservation of threatened and endgangered species and insuring that the program is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any threatened or engangered species, or result in the destruction or adverse modification of habitat of such species which determined to be critical (ESA);

   * In a manner to reduce the risk of flood losses, minimize the impact of floods on human safety, health and welfare, and restore and preserve the natural and beneficial values served by floodplains, so that the long and short term adverse impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of floodplains and the direct or indirect support of floodplain development are avoided [Executive Order (E.O.) 11988];

   * Foster conditions in which our modern society and our prehistoric and historic resources can exist in productive harmony and fulfill the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations and consistent with the agency's mission carry out the NFIP  in accordance with the purpose of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA);

   * Achieves environmental justice by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of the NFIP, its policies, and its activities on minority populations and low-income populations in the United States (E.O. 12898). 

Finally, as with any Federal program, the NFIP  must be Constitutional.  This includes meeting Constitutional principles that include, among others, observance of:

   * Fifth Amendment against deprivation of property without due process of law and against takings of private property for public use without just compensation;

   * Tenth Amendment reservation to the States or to the people those powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, including the police powers and powers to regulate land use.  

