FEMA has released the publication of FEMA Policy 203-074-1, Minimum Design Standards for Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Projects in Flood Hazard Areas. The policy will align structure elevation, dry flood proofing and mitigation reconstruction projects in flood hazard areas, that are funded by the HMA grant program, with a nationally recognized consensus standard for flood resistant design and construction.
The Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration’s (FIMA) HMA programs provide grant funding assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments for eligible and cost-effective projects that increase resiliency by reducing and eliminating risks to property from flood hazards and their effects.
All HMA-funded projects in flood hazard areas will be required to be designed and built according to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Standard 24-05, Flood Resistant Design and Construction, or its equivalent, as the minimum design criteria. ASCE 24-05 is a nationally recognized consensus standard for all flood resistant design and construction projects.
The use of this recognized standard, and involvement of licensed design professionals for design and construction of HMA-funded projects in flood hazard areas, will provide for more consistent and efficient verification of engineering and technical feasibility and will help preserve the public investment toward reducing risk.
FEMA has also developed an implementation guidebook, Guidance for Applying ASCE 24-05 Engineering Standards to Hazard Mitigation Flood Retrofitting and Reconstruction Projects, which identifies key design and construction requirements that apply to HMA flood mitigation projects. The guidebook also provides guidance on how the standard should be applied to each HMA-eligible flood project type.