This subpart lists actions that must be taken by a community to become eligible and to remain eligible for the Program.

(a) To qualify for flood insurance availability a community shall apply for the entire area within its jurisdiction, and shall submit:

(1) Copies of legislative and executive actions indicating a local need for flood insurance and an explicit desire to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program;

(2) Citations to State and local statutes and ordinances authorizing actions regulating land use and copies of the local laws and regulations cited;

(3) A copy of the flood plain management regulations the community has adopted to meet the requirements of §§ 60.3, 60.4 and/or § 60.5 of this subchapter. This submission shall include copies of any zoning, building, and subdivision regulations, health codes, special purpose ordinances (such as a flood plain ordinance, grading ordinance, or flood-related erosion control ordinance), and any other corrective and preventive measures enacted to reduce or prevent flood, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) or flood-related erosion damage;

(4) A list of the incorporated communities within the applicant's boundaries;

(5) Estimates relating to the community as a whole and to the flood, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) and flood-related erosion prone areas concerning:

(i) Population;

(ii) Number of one to four family residences;

(iii) Number of small businesses; and

(iv) Number of all other structures.

(6) Address of a local repository, such as a municipal building, where the Flood Hazard Boundary Maps (FHBM's) and Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM's) will be made available for public inspection;

(7) A summary of any State or Federal activities with respect to flood plain, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) or flood-related erosion area management within the community, such as federally-funded flood control projects and State-administered flood plain management regulations;

(8) A commitment to recognize and duly evaluate flood, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) and/or flood-related erosion hazards in all official actions in the areas having special flood, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) and/or flood-related erosion hazards and to take such other official action reasonably necessary to carry out the objectives of the program; and

(9) A commitment to:

(i) Assist the Federal Insurance Administrator at his/her request, in his/her delineation of the limits of the areas having special flood, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) or flood-related erosion hazards;

(ii) Provide such information concerning present uses and occupancy of the flood plain, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) or flood-related erosion areas as the Federal Insurance Administrator may request;

(iii) Maintain for public inspection and furnish upon request, for the determination of applicable flood insurance risk premium rates within all areas having special flood hazards identified on a FHBM or FIRM, any certificates of floodproofing, and information on the elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the level of the lowest floor (including basement) of all new or substantially improved structures, and include whether or not such structures contain a basement, and if the structure has been floodproofed, the elevation (in relation to mean sea level) to which the structure was floodproofed;

(iv) Cooperate with Federal, State, and local agencies and private firms which undertake to study, survey, map, and identify flood plain, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) or flood-related erosion areas, and cooperate with neighboring communities with respect to the management of adjoining flood plain, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) and/or flood-related erosion areas in order to prevent aggravation of existing hazards;

(v) Upon occurrence, notify the Federal Insurance Administrator in writing whenever the boundaries of the community have been modified by annexation or the community has otherwise assumed or no longer has authority to adopt and enforce flood plain management regulations for a particular area. In order that all FHBM's and FIRM's accurately represent the community's boundaries, include within such notification a copy of a map of the community suitable for reproduction, clearly delineating the new corporate limits or new area for which the community has assumed or relinquished flood plain management regulatory authority.

(b) An applicant shall legislatively:

(1) Appoint or designate the agency or official with the responsibility, authority, and means to implement the commitments made in paragraph (a) of this section, and

(2) Designate the official responsible to submit a report to the Federal Insurance Administrator concerning the community participation in the Program, including, but not limited to the development and implementation of flood plain management regulations. This report shall be submitted annually or biennially as determined by the Federal Insurance Administrator.

(c) The documents required by paragraph (a) of this section and evidence of the actions required by paragraph (b) of this section shall be submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington DC 20472.

Flood-prone, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) and flood-related erosion prone communities are placed on a register of areas eligible for ratemaking studies and then selected from this register for ratemaking studies on the basis of the following considerations—

(a) Recommendations of State officials;

(b) Location of community and urgency of need for flood insurance;

(c) Population of community and intensity of existing or proposed development of the flood plain, the mudslide (i.e., mudflow) and the flood-related erosion area;

(d) Availability of information on the community with respect to its flood, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) and flood-related erosion characteristics and previous losses;

(e) Extent of State and local progress in flood plain, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) area and flood-related erosion area management, including adoption of flood plain management regulations consistent with related ongoing programs in the area.

(a) A community eligible for the sale of flood insurance shall be subject to suspension from the Program for failing to submit copies of adequate flood plain management regulations meeting the minimum requirements of paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) of § 60.3 or paragraph (b) of § 60.4 or § 60.5, within six months from the date the Federal Insurance Administrator provides the data upon which the flood plain regulations for the applicable paragraph shall be based. Where there has not been any submission by the community, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall notify the community that 90 days remain in the six month period in order to submit adequate flood plain management regulations. Where there has been an inadequate submission, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall notify the community of the specific deficiencies in its submitted flood plain management regulations and inform the community of the amount of time remaining within the six month period. If, subsequently, copies of adequate flood plain management regulations are not received by the Administrator, no later than 30 days before the expiration of the original six month period the Federal Insurance Administrator shall provide written notice to the community and to the state and assure publication of the community's loss of eligibility for the sale of flood insurance on the internet or by another comparable method, such suspension to become effective upon the expiration of the six month period. Should the community remedy the defect and the Federal Insurance Administrator receive copies of adequate flood plain management regulations within the notice period, the suspension notice shall be rescinded by the Federal Insurance Administrator. If the Federal Insurance Administrator receives notice from the State that it has enacted adequate flood plain management regulations for the community within the notice period, the suspension notice shall be rescinded by the Federal Insurance Administrator. The community's eligibility shall remain terminated after suspension until copies of adequate flood plain management regulations have been received and approved by the Federal Insurance Administrator.

(b) A community eligible for the sale of flood insurance which fails to adequately enforce flood plain management regulations meeting the minimum requirements set forth in §§ 60.3, 60.4 and/or 60.5 shall be subject to probation. Probation shall represent formal notification to the community that the Federal Insurance Administrator regards the community's flood plain management program as not compliant with NFIP criteria. Prior to imposing probation, the Federal Insurance Administrator (1) shall inform the community upon 90 days prior written notice of the impending probation and of the specific program deficiencies and violations relative to the failure to enforce, (2) shall, at least 60 days before probation is to begin, issue a press release to local media explaining the reasons for and the effects of probation, and (3) shall, at least 90 days before probation is to begin, advise all policyholders in the community of the impending probation and the additional premium that will be charged, as provided in this paragraph, on policies sold or renewed during the period of probation. During this 90-day period the community shall have the opportunity to avoid probation by demonstrating compliance with Program requirements, or by correcting Program deficiencies and remedying all violations to the maximum extent possible. If, at the end of the 90-day period, the Federal Insurance Administrator determines that the community has failed to do so, the probation shall go into effect. Probation may be continued for up to one year after the community corrects all Program deficiencies and remedies all violations to the maximum extent possible. Flood insurance may be sold or renewed in the community while it is on probation. Where a policy covers property located in a community placed on probation on or after October 1, 1986, but prior to October 1, 1992, an additional premium of $25.00 shall be charged on each such policy newly issued or renewed during the one-year period beginning on the date the community is placed on probation and during any successive one-year periods that begin prior to October 1, 1992. Where a community's probation begins on or after October 1, 1992, the additional premium described in the preceding sentence shall be $50.00, which shall also be charged during any successive one-year periods during which the community remains on probation for any part thereof. This $50.00 additional premium shall further be charged during any successive one-year periods that begin on or after October 1, 1992, where the preceding one-year probation period began prior to October 1, 1992.

(c) A community eligible for the sale of flood insurance which fails to adequately enforce its flood plain management regulations meeting the minimum requirements set forth in §§ 60.3, 60.4 and/or 60.5 and does not correct its Program deficiencies and remedy all violations to the maximum extent possible in accordance with compliance deadlines established during a period of probation shall be subject to suspension of its Program eligibility. Under such circumstances, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall grant the community 30 days in which to show cause why it should not be suspended. The Federal Insurance Administrator may conduct a hearing, written or oral, before commencing suspensive action. If a community is to be suspended, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall inform it upon 30 days prior written notice and upon publication of its loss of eligibility for the sale of flood insurance on the internet or by another comparable method. In the event of impending suspension, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall issue a press release to the local media explaining the reasons and effects of the suspension. The community's eligibility shall only be reinstated by the Federal Insurance Administrator upon his receipt of a local legislative or executive measure reaffirming the community's formal intent to adequately enforce the flood plain management requirements of this subpart, together with evidence of action taken by the community to correct Program deficiencies and remedy to the maximum extent possible those violations which caused the suspension. In certain cases, the Federal Insurance Administrator, in order to evaluate the community's performance under the terms of its submission, may withhold reinstatement for a period not to exceed one year from the date of his receipt of the satisfactory submission or place the community on probation as provided for in paragraph (b) of this section.

(d) A community eligible for the sale of flood insurance which repeals its flood plain management regulations, allows its regulations to lapse, or amends its regulations so that they no longer meet the minimum requirements set forth in §§ 60.3, 60.4 and/or 60.5 shall be suspended from the Program. If a community is to be suspended, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall inform it upon 30 days prior written notice and upon publication of its loss of eligibly for the sale of flood insurance on the internet or by another comparable method. The community eligibility shall remain terminated after suspension until copies of adequate flood plain management regulations have been received and approved by the Federal Insurance Administrator.

(e) A community eligible for the sale of flood insurance may withdraw from the Program by submitting to the Federal Insurance Administrator a copy of a legislative action that explicitly states its desire to withdraw from the National Flood Insurance Program. Upon receipt of a certified copy of a final legislative action, the Federal Insurance Administrator shall withdraw the community from the Program and publish its loss of eligibility for the sale of flood insurance on the internet or by another comparable method. A community that has withdrawn from the Program may be reinstated if its submits the application materials specified in § 59.22(a).

(f) If during a period of ineligibility under paragraphs (a), (d), or (e) of this section, a community has permitted actions to take place that have aggravated existing flood plain, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) and/or flood related erosion hazards, the Federal Insurance Administrator may withhold reinstatement until the community submits evidence that it has taken action to remedy to the maximum extent possible the increased hazards. The Federal Insurance Administrator may also place the reinstated community on probation as provided for in paragraph (b) of this section.

(g) The Federal Insurance Administrator shall promptly notify the servicing company and any insurers issuing flood insurance pursuant to an arrangement with the Federal Insurance Administrator of those communities whose eligibility has been suspended or which have withdrawn from the program. Flood insurance shall not be sold or renewed in those communities. Policies sold or renewed within a community during a period of ineligibility are deemed to be voidable by the Federal Insurance Administrator whether or not the parties to sale or renewal had actual notice of the ineligibility.