(a) General.

(1) This section describes the procedures to follow and the types of information FEMA requires to designate flood control restoration zones. A community may be eligible to apply for this zone designation if the Federal Insurance Administrator determines that it is engaged in the process of restoring a flood protection system that was:

(i) Constructed using Federal funds;

(ii) Recognized as providing base flood protection on the community's effective FIRM; and

(iii) Decertified by a Federal agency responsible for flood protection design or construction.

(2) Where the Federal Insurance Administrator determines that a community is in the process of restoring its flood protection system to provide base flood protection, a FIRM will be prepared that designates the temporary flood hazard areas as a flood control restoration zone (Zone AR). Existing special flood hazard areas shown on the community's effective FIRM that are further inundated by Zone AR flooding shall be designated as a “dual” flood insurance rate zone, Zone AR/AE or AR/AH with Zone AR base flood elevations, and AE or AH with base flood elevations and Zone AR/AO with Zone AR base flood elevations and Zone AO with flood depths, or Zone AR/A with Zone AR base flood elevations and Zone A without base flood elevations.

(b) Limitations. A community may have a flood control restoration zone designation only once while restoring a flood protection system. This limitation does not preclude future flood control restoration zone designations should a fully restored, certified, and accredited system become decertified for a second or subsequent time.

(1) A community that receives Federal funds for the purpose of designing or constructing, or both, the restoration project must complete restoration or meet the requirements of 44 CFR 61.12 within a specified period, not to exceed a maximum of 10 years from the date of submittal of the community's application for designation of a flood control restoration zone.

(2) A community that does not receive Federal funds for the purpose of constructing the restoration project must complete restoration within a specified period, not to exceed a maximum of 5 years from the date of submittal of the community's application for designation of a flood control restoration zone. Such a community is not eligible for the provisions of §61.12. The designated restoration period may not be extended beyond the maximum allowable under this limitation.

(c) Exclusions. The provisions of these regulations do not apply in a coastal high hazard area as defined in 44 CFR 59.1, including areas that would be subject to coastal high hazards as a result of the decertification of a flood protection system shown on the community's effective FIRM as providing base flood protection.

(d) Effective date for risk premium rates. The effective date for any risk premium rates established for Zone AR shall be the effective date of the revised FIRM showing Zone AR designations.

(e) Application and submittal requirements for designation of a flood control restoration zone. A community must submit a written request to the Federal Insurance Administrator, signed by the community's Chief Executive Officer, for a flood plain designation as a flood control restoration zone. The request must include a legislative action by the community requesting the designation. The Federal Insurance Administrator will not initiate any action to designate flood control restoration zones without receipt of the formal request from the community that complies with all requirements of this section. The Federal Insurance Administrator reserves the right to request additional information from the community to support or further document the community's formal request for designation of a flood control restoration zone, if deemed necessary.

(1) At a minimum, the request from a community that receives Federal funds for the purpose of designing, constructing, or both, the restoration project must include:

(i) A statement whether, to the best of the knowledge of the community's Chief Executive Officer, the flood protection system is currently the subject matter of litigation before any Federal, State or local court or administrative agency, and if so, the purpose of that litigation;

(ii) A statement whether the community has previously requested a determination with respect to the same subject matter from the Federal Insurance Administrator, and if so, a statement that details the disposition of such previous request;

(iii) A statement from the community and certification by a Federal agency responsible for flood protection design or construction that the existing flood control system shown on the effective FIRM was originally built using Federal funds, that it no longer provides base flood protection, but that it continues to provide protection from the flood having at least a 3-percent chance of occurrence during any given year;

(iv) An official map of the community or legal description, with supporting documentation, that the community will adopt as part of its flood plain management measures, which designates developed areas as defined in §59.1 and as further defined in §60.3(f).

(v) A restoration plan to return the system to a level of base flood protection. At a minimum, this plan must:

(A) List all important project elements, such as acquisition of permits, approvals, and contracts and construction schedules of planned features;

(B) Identify anticipated start and completion dates for each element, as well as significant milestones and dates;

(C) Identify the date on which “as built” drawings and certification for the completed restoration project will be submitted. This date must provide for a restoration period not to exceed the maximum allowable restoration period for the flood protection system, or;

(D) Identify the date on which the community will submit a request for a finding of adequate progress that meets all requirements of §61.12. This date may not exceed the maximum allowable restoration period for the flood protection system;

(vi) A statement identifying the local project sponsor responsible for restoration of the flood protection system;

(vii) A copy of a study, performed by a Federal agency responsible for flood protection design or construction in consultation with the local project sponsor, which demonstrates a Federal interest in restoration of the system and which deems that the flood protection system is restorable to a level of base flood protection.

(viii) A joint statement from the Federal agency responsible for flood protection design or construction involved in restoration of the flood protection system and the local project sponsor certifying that the design and construction of the flood control system involves Federal funds, and that the restoration of the flood protection system will provide base flood protection;

(2) At a minimum, the request from a community that receives no Federal funds for the purpose of constructing the restoration project must:

(i) Meet the requirements of §65.14(e)(1)(i) through (iv);

(ii) Include a restoration plan to return the system to a level of base flood protection. At a minimum, this plan must:

(A) List all important project elements, such as acquisition of permits, approvals, and contracts and construction schedules of planned features;

(B) Identify anticipated start and completion dates for each element, as well as significant milestones and dates; and

(C) Identify the date on which “as built” drawings and certification for the completed restoration project will be submitted. This date must provide for a restoration period not to exceed the maximum allowable restoration period for the flood protection system;

(iii) Include a statement identifying the local agency responsible for restoration of the flood protection system;

(iv) Include a copy of a study, certified by registered Professional Engineer, that demonstrates that the flood protection system is restorable to provide protection from the base flood;

(v) Include a statement from the local agency responsible for restoration of the flood protection system certifying that the restored flood protection system will meet the applicable requirements of Part 65; and

(vi) Include a statement from the local agency responsible for restoration of the flood protection system that identifies the source of funds for the purpose of constructing the restoration project and a percentage of the total funds contributed by each source. The statement must demonstrate, at a minimum, that 100 percent of the total financial project cost of the completed flood protection system has been appropriated.

(f) Review and response by the Federal Insurance Administrator. The review and response by the Federal Insurance Administrator shall be in accordance with procedures specified in §65.9.

(g) Requirements for maintaining designation of a flood control restoration zone. During the restoration period, the community and the cost-sharing Federal agency, if any, must certify annually to the FEMA Regional Office having jurisdiction that the restoration will be completed in accordance with the restoration plan within the time period specified by the plan. In addition, the community and the cost-sharing Federal agency, if any, will update the restoration plan and will identify any permitting or construction problems that will delay the project completion from the restoration plan previously submitted to the Federal Insurance Administrator. The FEMA Regional Office having jurisdiction will make an annual assessment and recommendation to the Federal Insurance Administrator as to the viability of the restoration plan and will conduct periodic on-site inspections of the flood protection system under restoration.

(h) Procedures for removing flood control restoration zone designation due to adequate progress or complete restoration of the flood protection system. At any time during the restoration period:

(1) A community that receives Federal funds for the purpose of designing, constructing, or both, the restoration project shall provide written evidence of certification from a Federal agency having flood protection design or construction responsibility that the necessary improvements have been completed and that the system has been restored to provide protection from the base flood, or submit a request for a finding of adequate progress that meets all requirements of §61.12. If the Administrator determines that adequate progress has been made, FEMA will revise the zone designation from a flood control restoration zone designation to Zone A99.

(2) After the improvements have been completed, certified by a Federal agency as providing base flood protection, and reviewed by FEMA, FEMA will revise the FIRM to reflect the completed flood control system.

(3) A community that receives no Federal funds for the purpose of constructing the restoration project must provide written evidence that the restored flood protection system meets the requirements of Part 65. A community that receives no Federal funds for the purpose of constructing the restoration project is not eligible for a finding of adequate progress under §61.12.

(4) After the improvements have been completed and reviewed by FEMA, FEMA will revise the FIRM to reflect the completed flood protection system.

(i) Procedures for removing flood control restoration zone designation due to non-compliance with the restoration schedule or as a result of a finding that satisfactory progress is not being made to complete the restoration. At any time during the restoration period, should the Federal Insurance Administrator determine that the restoration will not be completed in accordance with the time frame specified in the restoration plan, or that satisfactory progress is not being made to restore the flood protection system to provide complete flood protection in accordance with the restoration plan, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall notify the community and the responsible Federal agency, in writing, of the determination, the reasons for that determination, and that the FIRM will be revised to remove the flood control restoration zone designation. Within thirty (30) days of such notice, the community may submit written information that provides assurance that the restoration will be completed in accordance with the time frame specified in the restoration plan, or that satisfactory progress is being made to restore complete protection in accordance with the restoration plan, or that, with reasonable certainty, the restoration will be completed within the maximum allowable restoration period. On the basis of this information the Federal Insurance Administrator may suspend the decision to revise the FIRM to remove the flood control restoration zone designation. If the community does not submit any information, or if, based on a review of the information submitted, there is sufficient cause to find that the restoration will not be completed as provided for in the restoration plan, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall revise the FIRM, in accordance with 44 CFR Part 67, and shall remove the flood control restoration zone designations and shall redesignate those areas as Zone A1-30, AE, AH, AO, or A.

[62 FR 55717, Oct. 27, 1997]