DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Changes to Flood Hazard Determinations

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security.

SUMMARY: On October 05, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) identified Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) in the Unincorporated Areas of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County, Florida, through issuance of a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), and where applicable, a supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report. FEMA's Mitigation Directorate has determined that changes to flood hazard information, which may include the addition or modification of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), SFHA boundaries or zone designations, or the regulatory floodway, for certain locations in this community is appropriate. SFHAs are areas subject to inundation by the base (1-percent-annual-chance) flood and include the following flood zones: A, AO, AH, A1-A30, AE, A99, AR, AR/A1-A30, AR/AE, AR/AO, AR/AH, AR/A, VO, V1-V30, VE, and V. Floodways are the channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than a designated height.

The FIRM, and where applicable, the supporting FIS report, have been revised to reflect these flood hazard determinations through issuance of a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR), in accordance with Title 44, Part 65 of the Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR Part 65).

DATES: Upon the second publication of notice of these changes in a newspaper of local circulation in the community, any person has 90 days in which he or she can request, through the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the community as listed in the table below, that the Mitigation Directorate reconsiders the determination. All interested parties are on notice that until the 90-day period elapses, the Mitigation Directorate's determination to modify the flood hazard information may itself be changed.

ADDRESSES: Any information or comments regarding these flood hazard determinations must be sent directly to the community CEO listed in the table below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Luis Rodriguez, Chief, Engineering Management Branch, Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, FEMA, 500 C Street SW., Washington, DC 20472, (202) 646-4064, or (e-mail) luis.rodriguez3@fema.dhs.gov; or visit the FEMA Map Information eXchange (FMIX) online at http://www.floodmaps.fema.gov/fhm/fmx_main.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The changes are being made pursuant to Section 206 of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-234) and are in accordance with the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended (Title XIII of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, Public Law 90-448), 42 U.S.C. 4001-4128, and 44 CFR Part 65.

Pursuant to these Acts, the Mitigation Directorate must develop criteria for floodplain management. To participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the community must use the FIRM and FIS report, including LOMRs, to administer the floodplain management measures of the NFIP.

Any submitted data or objections provided that involve changes to flood hazard determinations and satisfy the data requirements and meet the certification requirements defined in 44 CFR 67.6 are considered appeals. All other submitted data or objections are referred to as comments. Comments may reference changes to base map features, such as corporate limits or roads. All submitted information will be considered in finalizing the LOMR.

Information must be sent directly to the community CEO listed in the table below. The issues raised (appeals and comments) will be reviewed in aggregate and not addressed individually. Individuals providing information who have been determined by FEMA to meet the criteria of "appellant" as articulated in 44 CFR 67.5 will be sent a copy of the resolution letter, which names them as appellants. Typically, individuals who provide only comments will not be notified.

VIEW FLOOD HAZARD DETERMINATION INFORMATION:

The modified flood hazard determination information may be viewed at the map repository address listed in the table below, or online at http://www.msc.fema.gov/portal/advanceSearch. Additionally, the current effective FIRM and FIS report for each community are accessible online through the FEMA Map Service Center at http://www.msc.fema.gov for comparison. Any person having knowledge or wishing to comment on these changes should immediately notify the CEO of the community as listed in the table below.