FEMA doesn’t require participation from a Community CEO or Floodplain Administrator for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Conditional Letter of Map Amendment (CLOMA) since FEMA’s determination will be made based on natural, as-built elevations. However, the community is expected to play an active role for Letters of Map Revision based on Fill (LOMR-F), Conditional Letters of Map Revision based on Fill (CLOMR-F) and Letters of Map Revision Floodway (LOMR-FW) by reviewing the Community Acknowledgement Form and signing when appropriate.

LOMR-F (fill) – FEMA requires the community to sign Part A of the Community Acknowledgment Form if fill was used to elevate a parcel of land or structure by any amount after having been identified within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).  Fill is defined as material placed to raise the ground to or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE).  Fill placed before the effective date of the first NFIP map showing the subject to be within the SFHA is treated as natural ground.  It is also the responsibility of the community to manage the low floor elevation. FEMA does not require a low floor elevation to process a LOMR-F.  By signing the Community Acknowledgement Form, the community is verifying that the home was built in accordance with CFR44 60.3 or follows the requirements in TB 10-01.  The community must also verify that during the placement of fill the necessary requirements of the Endangered Species Act of 1972 were met.

Note: fill cannot be placed in the regulatory floodway unless new modeling and a No-Rise certificate is received by the community showing that the placement of fill did not cause a BFE increase.  FEMA regulations do not state if this is project by project or cumulative.  It is up to local jurisdictions to manage. 

CLOMR-F (proposed fill) – If there are proposed plans to use fill to elevate a parcel of land or structure during construction in an identified SFHA, FEMA requires the community to sign Part A of the Community Acknowledgement Form.   The guidelines are the same as the LOMR-F process.

LOMR-FW (floodway) – If a property or structure is located within the regulatory floodway on the FIRM, FEMA requires the community to sign Part B of the Community Acknowledgement Form.  By doing this the community verifies the home was built in accordance with CFR44 60.3(d) and therefore is reasonably safe from flooding.

Stay safe.