(a) Contact shall be made with appropriate officials of a community in which a proposed investigation is undertaken, and with the state coordinating agency.

(b) Local dissemination of the intent and nature of the investigation shall be encouraged so that interested parties will have an opportunity to bring relevant data to the attention of the community and to the Federal Insurance Administrator.

(c) Submission of information from the community concerning the study shall be encouraged.

(d) Appropriate officials of the community shall be fully informed of (1) The responsibilities placed on them by the Program, (2) the administrative procedures followed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, (3) the community's role in establishing elevations, and (4) the responsibilities of the community if it participates or continues to participate in the Program.

(e) Before the commencement of an initial Flood Insurance Study, the CCO or other FEMA representative, together with a representative of the organization undertaking the study, shall meet with officials of the community. The state coordinating agency shall be notified of this meeting and may attend. At this meeting, the local officials shall be informed of (1) The date when the study will commence, (2) the nature and purpose of the study, (3) areas involved, (4) the manner in which the study shall be undertaken, (5) the general principles to be applied, and (6) the intended use of the data obtained. The community shall be informed in writing if any of the six preceding items are or will be changed after this initial meeting and during the course of the ongoing study.

(f) The community shall be informed in writing of any intended modification to the community's final flood elevation determinations or the development of new elevations in additional areas of the community as a result of a new study or restudy. Such information to the community will include the data set forth in paragraph (e) of this section. At the discretion of the Regional Administrator in each FEMA Regional Office, a meeting may be held to accomplish this requirement.

[47 FR 771, Jan. 7, 1982, as amended at 49 FR 4751, Feb. 8, 1984]