September 27, 2024

The Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued a Dear Tribal Leader Letter announcing Tribal consultations on redesigning the Community Rating System (CRS) of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The CRS is a voluntary incentive program under the NFIP and the proposed redesign is meant to enhance the CRS program’s effectiveness, promote resilience, and mitigate the financial impact of flooding on communities.

FEMA is proposing to align the CRS with improved understanding of flood risk and risk reduction approaches obtained since the start of the program. This is being made to better incentivize communities and policymakers to increase resiliency and lower vulnerabilities to flood risk to support the financial framework of the NFIP. This CRS redesign is meant to be a multi-year effort to allow CRS participating communities and partners to learn about, provide feedback on potential alternatives, and prepare for potential changes to the CRS program.

Details regarding these upcoming Tribal consultations are as follows—

Date/Time: Thursday, October 10, 2024 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm ET

• Click Here to Register

Date/Time: Wednesday, October 16, 2024 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm ET

• Click Here to Register

For a list of Framing Questions please view the Dear Tribal Leader Letter, and for more information on the CRS redesign effort, please view FEMA’s Federal Register Notice by clicking here. Comments on FEMA’s proposed CRS redesign are due Friday, November 15, 2024 and can be sent to FEMA-CRS-Redesign@fema.dhs.gov.

For more information, please contact Brian Howard, USET SPF Senior Policy Analyst, at bhoward@usetinc.org.

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Established in 1969, the United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. (USET) is a non-profit, inter-Tribal organization serving thirty-three (33) federally recognized Tribal Nations from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Everglades and across the Gulf of Mexico. USET is dedicated to enhancing the development of Tribal Nations, improving the capabilities of Tribal governments, and improving the quality of life for Indian people through a variety of technical and supportive programmatic services.

Established in 2014, the USET Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET SPF) is a non-profit, inter-Tribal organization advocating on behalf of thirty-three (33) federally recognized Tribal Nations from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Everglades and across the Gulf of Mexico. USET SPF is dedicated to promoting, protecting, and advancing the inherent sovereign rights and authorities of Tribal Nations and in assisting its membership in dealing effectively with public policy issues.