West Virginia Five-Year Plan Summary Community Assistance Program – State Support Services Element OCTOBER 21, 2005 DRAFT Projected Flood Insurance Rate Map Effective Dates in West Virginia* [Figure 1: A bar graph showing the expected number of communities involved in the Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan by Federal Fiscal Year 2005-10.] *Currently includes both participating and non-participating communities from Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan sequencing, Version 1.5, June 2005. Purpose This report is an outcome of the review of the Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2005-2009 Floodplain Management Work Plans by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is intended to show the relationship of Community Assistance Program – State Support Services Element (CAP-SSSE) activities, and resource allocation, the State is undertaking in response to the flood mapping production schedule of Flood Map Modernization, and to highlight the efforts that are underway to achieve the flood loss reduction goals of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). State Vision for Floodplain Management The West Virginia NFIP Coordinating Office is in the process of developing a flood hazard reduction delivery system to accomplish the goals of giving communities the appropriate tools needed to practice effective floodplain management. While the State’s population is small compared to the rest of the country, its land area is large and the amount of streams and floodplains are extensive. The West Virginia Floodplain Management Program (FMP) is developing the tools and training for easy, effective, enforceable floodplain management. It provides technical information, i.e., floodplain maps, and is working to perfect model ordinances for participating communities or communities interested in joining the NFIP. The West Virginia FMP desires to be more active in assisting communities in lowering their flood insurance premiums through the Community Rating System. State Floodplain Management Authority The Office of Emergency Services, pursuant to West Virginia Code Section 15-5-1, et seq., and other lawful authority, is charged by the legislature and governor to view the existing and increasing possibility of the occurrence of disasters of unprecedented size and destructiveness, resulting from enemy attack, sabotage or other hostile action, or from fire, flood, earthquakes, or other natural or man-made causes, and to insure that preparations of this State, and all political subdivisions thereof, will be adequate to deal with such disasters, provide for the common defense, and to protect the public peace, health, safety, and to preserve the lives and property of the people of this State. Further, in addition to disaster prevention measures as included in the State, local, regional, and interjurisdictional disaster plans, the Office of Emergency Services shall make studies of disaster prevention-related matters, to include, but not be limited to, a continuing study of land use, construction of structures and other facilities, and identify areas that are particularly susceptible to severe land shifting, subsidence, flooding, or other catastrophic occurrences with an emphasis on reducing or avoiding the dangers caused by such occurrences and the consequences thereof. Significant Accomplishments, Strengths, or Success Stories of the Floodplain Management Program The West Virginia FMP provides tools, training, and technical assistance in flood hazard mitigation (i.e., floodplain maps and model ordinances) to communities participating in or communities that are interested in joining the NFIP. The West Virginia FMP’s customer base includes appraisers, architects, community officials, insurance agents, lenders, professional land surveyors, professional engineers,realtors, State and Federal agencies, attorneys, property owners, and citizens. Over the Next Five Years, Where Does West Virginia Foresee a Shortage of Resources? Program demands will peek in FY08 because of the number of communities impacted by Flood Map Modernization and the resulting number of communities needing ordinance assistance and ordinance reviews. Further review and more information is needed before the FMP can indicate which activities will be impacted by a lack of funding. Decisions will be made in future years as to which program activities will be cut without adequate funding. Significant Cooperative Efforts with Federal, State, or Local Partners in Support of Floodplain Management The West Virginia FMP has a working agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection to review and comment on projects that come under their purview when the project is in the Special Flood Hazard Area, the area subject to inundation by the base (1-percent-annual-chance) flood. These reviews are performed under the Natural Resource Protection Act and the Site Location Law. The MFMP is also coordinating with the Department of Conservation/Land Use Regulation Commission and the West Virginia Department of Transportation in reviewing projects in the floodplain. According to the FY 2005-2009 Work Plan, West Virginia will perform the following activities in FY 2005**: 13% - Ordinance Assistance 4% - Develop the 5-Year Plan 2% - CIS Data Entry 20% - Other Floodplain Management Activities 17% - Workshops & Other Training 5% - SMO Research 8% - CAVs/CACs 8% - Coordination 23% - GTA 0% – Mapping Assistance 0% – Post-Disaster Assistance **Percentages may have been rounded to the nearest whole number. The pie chart shows the CAP-SSSE activities the State agency responsible for floodplain management is undertaking in relation to other activities. Gap Analysis ***How many Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) are employed for floodplain management in the State agency: .75 How many additional FTEs are needed to perform FPM activities: 2.25 What percent/number of floodprone communities participate in the NFIP: 100%/264 What percent/number of NFIP communities participate in Community Rating System: <1%/1 ***Referenced from the Association of State Floodplain Managers' Floodplain Management 2003, State and Local Programs [Table 1: Federally Declared Disasters/Emergencies by Calendar Year West Virginia Federally Declared Disasters: 2004 - Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides – September 20; August 6; and June 7 2005 - Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides – February 1 Federally Declared Emergency Declarations: 2004 - N/A 2005 - N/A] [Table 2: Flood Insurance and Loss Summary from 1978 to March 31, 2005 National Rankings* Total Current Policies: 20,610 (28th) Total Premium ($)**: $11,288,429 (27th) Number of Claims***: 22,780 (16th) Total Paid Dollars ($)****: $247,763,879 (14th) *National ranking based on NFIP NextGen data; ranked from highest to lowest. **The total amount of premiums for policies in-force. ***The total number of claims reported. ****The total amount paid on claims.] Additional Contacts FEMA Regional CAP-SSSE Coordinator Joseph Zagone FEMA Region III 615 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 Phone: (215) 931-5608 E-mail: Joseph.Zagone@dhs.gov State NFIP Coordinator Robert L. Perry, CFM West Virginia Office of Emergency Services CAP Building 1, Room EB-80 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East Charleston, WV 25305-0360 Phone: (304) 965-2331 Fax: (304) 965-3216 E-mail: robperry@wvoes.state.wv.us State Hazard Mitigation Officer Barry J. Macciocca West Virginia Office of Emergency Services CAP Building 1, Room EB-80 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East Charleston, WV 25305-0360 Phone: (304) 558-5380 Fax: (304) 344-4538 E-mail: bmaccio@wvoes.state.wv.us Web Page: www.state.wv.us/wvoes State GIS Coordinator Craig Neidig GIS Coordinator State of West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey Greenbrooke Building 1124 Smith Street, Suite LM-10 Charleston, WV 25339-1928 Phone: (304) 558-4218 Fax: (304) 558-4963 E-mail: cneidig@gis.state.wv.us