| description:
|
The Floodplain Management section of the VT Rivers Program works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to oversee the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in Vermont. The NFIP is a voluntary program administered at the community level. Participating communities agree to manage floodplain development using building and land-use regulations. In return, residents have the ability to purchase flood insurance, apply for federally insured loans (such as mortgages), and receive flood disaster assistance. While NFIP designated floodplains provide a useful management tool, they do not necessarily show the full extent of flood risk along Vermont streams and rivers. We encourage towns to be proactive in managing floodplains and to adopt regulations that go beyond the minimum NFIP requirements as well as consider the addition of river corridors to their flood hazard management regulations and approach. |