The Association of State Floodplain Managers

A Publication for THE INSIDER Members

May 2005 The Association of State Floodplain Managers 2809 Fish Hatchery Rd. Madison, WI 53713 www.floods.org 608-274-0123 Fax: 608-274-0696 [email protected]

Executive Director’s Report Larry Larson, CFM IN THIS ISSUE – Click on any of the links below, or simply scroll down for the entire newsletter In our lives, this country and the world, things are always changing. Changes are happening at ASFPM as well. In Executive Director’s Report this issue, I’ll update you on some of those changes, which Disaster Mitigation Grants Not Taxable are focused on maintaining and improving service to our FEMA Awards Baylor Flood Protection members. Through these efforts, we can more effectively Grant address our mission of reducing flood losses in the nation Map Mod – FEMA works to Implement and enhancing the natural and beneficial functions of Minimum Map Quality Standards floodplains. News From Chapters American Wetlands Month ASFPM continues to grow. The ASFPM Board just Nick Winter Memorial Scholarship accepted the Floodplain Management Association (FMA) International Committee Meets with Chinese Delegation as our 21st Chapter. The FMA represents California, ASFPM Needs Videos & Pictures for Nevada and Hawaii, making it our first Regional Chapter. Training We are pleased to welcome them as a Chapter. 20,000 th NFIP Community Recognized Membership in ASFPM, through our national and Chapter CFM Corner membership now exceeds 7,000. Washington Legislative Report Applied Grants for Disaster Risk In order to accommodate this growth, significant changes Reduction II include a new accounting system and a new IT system. News in Brief The IT upgrade was needed to handle our huge database of ASFPM 2005 Annual Conference members, conference attendees, Certification, etc. It will Floodplain Manager’s Calendar Job Corner soon allow members to have access to a “members only” section of our web site, and will allow our members to access and update their personal data and review their Continuing Education Credits for maintaining their CFM. Our plan is to eventually develop the capability for our Committees to have discussion pages for their members, and we are developing a Continuing Education Credits (CEC) Directory, so everyone can find out what training is available and where, in order to find locations nearest you. The use of the internet and effective web sites are essential tools today for professionals in performing their jobs. Our intent is to help you do your job more effectively. Please let us know how we are doing and what additionally we can do.

As the Association’s credibility and reputation have grown, we are asked more and more often to provide input on national policy issues. We are asked for input because our members manage the

The Insider May 2005 1 local and state programs at the grass roots level. National programs and policy must work on the ground in order to be effective. Because of this growing need for policy and members services we are in the process of hiring a Deputy Executive Director, who we hope to have on Board by the end of the summer. These growth activities mean we need more office space. Luckily, we are able to expand in the building we currently occupy, so our address, etc. will not have to change. For our members, this move will be absolutely seamless.

One other change I want to mention is the phenomenal growth of our annual national conference. Finding a conference hotel with sufficient meeting space for 1,000 attendees has become a daunting challenge. The result is that our conference must be held in a convention center for the first time this year. In fact, we are already booked in conventions centers for the next two years as well – Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2006 and Norfolk, Virginia in 2007. We believe you’ll find the layout in Madison will provide all the amenities you have come to expect at an ASFPM conference, and more. But please let us know, we need and appreciate your feedback. I look forward to seeing all of you in Madison June 12-17 – it’s going to be a fantastic week!

Return to Table of Contents

Disaster-Mitigation Grants Not Taxable On April 15, the President signed into law H.R. 1134, which will protect citizens from being taxed for disaster mitigation grants. Disaster-mitigation grants are widely used by states, cities, and towns, to mitigate future damage to property. Homeowners often use the grants for projects such as elevating or relocating structures after flooding or creating “safe rooms” in tornado-prone areas. FEMA disaster- mitigation grants have saved an estimated 2.9 billion in disaster recovery since the program began 15 years ago. In June 2004, the IRS issued a ruling finding that disaster mitigation funds are taxable as income. Prior to this ruling, such assistance was not considered income for tax purposes, and meanwhile property owners were accepting mitigation funds without any idea that they could be subject to taxation as income. H.R. 1134 reverses this decision, and returns mitigation grants to a tax-exempt status. The measure is retroactive. Although the Joint Committee on Taxation estimated the bill will cost the government $105 million in lost revenue over 10 years, ASFPM contends the mitigation grants will save far more than that by preventing future disaster costs.

FEMA Awards Baylor $4.2 Million Flood Protection Grant

DENTON, Texas, April 6 – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced it has obligated over $4.2 million to the State of Texas to flood proof 175 points of entry at the Baylor College of Medicine campus located at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. The installation of flood barriers, shields, floodgates, and alteration of entrance elevations will prevent future floodwaters from entering campus buildings. Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for

The Insider May 2005 2 Emergency Preparedness and Response said, "We know that mitigation efforts work. Flood protection measures save money and keep organizations running. The work at Baylor will help to prevent losses like those caused by Tropical Storm Allison." Under this grant program, FEMA provides 75 percent of eligible project costs and the remaining 25 percent comes from local resources. Where feasible, recovery efforts incorporate mitigation measures to help protect against possible future flooding.

Mad Mod - FEMA works to implement minimum map quality standards

Complaints about the quality of FEMA's old flood hazard maps are common. Many floodplain managers have their "pet" examples showing the river outside the floodplain or houses on top of bluffs incorrectly shown in the floodplain. ASFPM was formed 30+ years ago to help support improving the quality of the maps and was extremely pleased when Congress funded the Flood Map Modernization initiative. As Map Mod got going, we began hearing that due to funding limitations many of the mapping projects were limited to digital conversions - digital versions of the same map on a new base. Many of our members expressed concern that communities would simply be getting digital versions of the same "bad" maps.

ASFPM passed those comments along to FEMA and is pleased to report that FEMA has responded by including information related to quality in their Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan (MHIP). The MHIP includes a section (Chapter 7) that addresses many of the quality issues that have been raised by ASFPM members.

Table 7-1 in MHIP Chapter 7 contains some performance requirements ensuring that floodplain delineations match ground elevations. Chapter 7 also includes information related to the suitability of various methods for conducting hydrologic analyses, validating of predicted Base Flood Elevations, and establishing Manning N values. In addition, the chapter includes information on the suitability of the use of various topographic data sources and suitability of the inclusion of hydraulic structures.

Getting performance requirements into the MHIP, however, is only the first step. The performance requirements need to be included in FEMA's Guidelines & Specifications so that they can be properly referenced in the Map Mod Mapping Activity Statements and ultimately into the engineering contracts. There is concern that the Guidelines and Specs will not be updated in time to get the proper references into the FY05 engineering contracts. However, David I. Maurstad (Acting Director of FEMA's Mitigation Division) has indicated that maps that do not meet the performance requirements in Chapter 7 "will not be considered modernized and will not count towards the metrics." Mr. Maurstad indicated that FEMA is committed to ensuring the modernized maps are quality products.

ASFPM commends FEMA for listening to stakeholder concerns and taking action to address the map quality issue. Return to Table of Contents

News from Chapters

The Insider May 2005 3 This is a new section that will be added to every edition of the Insider. Chapter Chairs or Chapter newsletter editors are encouraged to email Anita at [email protected] with articles or information happening in your Chapter. News from Michigan- The Michigan Stormwater-Floodplain Association (MSFA) drew more than 100 floodplain managers, engineers, and community officials to Traverse City, Michigan for their 18th Annual Conference February 14-16, 2005. It was the first attempt at a multi-day conference, and was “piggy-backed” with the Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners Winter Conference. Another first for this conference was an Exhibitor’s Area. Twelve different companies and federal and state agencies were represented. Awards were presented to 12 of MSFA’s members who are Certified Floodplain Managers. A CFM refresher course was presented by PBS&J and the CFM exam was proctored to 16 members, resulting in 13 new CFMs.

MAY IS AMERICAN WETLANDS MONTH

During the month of May, the nation will celebrate American Wetlands Month, focusing on the economic benefits that wetlands provide. The Environmental Protection Agency joins with other Federal, State, and local agencies to recognize the wonderful ways that wetlands enrich the environment and society. Events are scheduled all across the country to educate and involve Americans in better understanding the importance of one of Earth’s most valuable and fragile ecosystems. Also known as marshes, swamps and bogs, wetlands are important for flood control, acting as buffers to absorb and reduce damage caused by flood waters. They are productive ecosystems which support sometimes rare plant and animal habitat. Wetlands also help to remove pollutants from water, cleaning streams and lakes, thereby reducing the cost of drinking water treatment. Wetlands are important to the multi-billion dollar commercial fishing industry and provide a boost to recreation industry activities such as fishing, birding, canoeing and hunting. While more than half of the nation's original wetlands have been lost or converted to other uses in the lower 48 states, EPA’s goal is to help increase the quantity and quality of wetlands nationwide. To learn more about activities for American Wetlands Month, go to: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands and http://www.iwla.org/sos/awm/events/ .

2005 Nick Winter Memorial Scholarship Deadline: May 31, 2005 The New England Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association (NEFSMA), together with ASFPM and the ASFPM Foundation, will grant a $2,000 scholarship for the 2005-2006 academic year to a full-time student currently enrolled in a field of discipline related to floodplain management or an applicant to a graduate program in a related field. Please see www.nefsma.org for the full announcement and application form (click on “scholarship” on the left scrollbar).

The Insider May 2005 4 Return to Table of Contents

International Committee Meets with Chinese Delegation on Floodplain Management

On March 18, a delegation from the Ministry of Water Resources responsible for the Songhua River Basin in Northeast China visited Dewberry’s Fairfax office to gather information about best practices in floodplain management in the United States.

The delegation, headed by Mr. De-fu Zhang, Deputy Director of the Flood- Control and Drought-Fighting Office, is visiting with groups in the United States and the European Union under a grant from the Asian Development Bank. Firas Makarem, right, with the Chinese Delegation

Firas N. Makarem, ASFPM International Committee Chair, and senior project manager in Dewberry’s Federal Programs, arranged the meeting and provided the group with information on ASFPM’s international activities. Larry Olinger, president of the ASFPM Foundation and director of Federal Programs at Dewberry, discussed the foundation’s activities. Mr. Makarem also explained how FEMA administers the flood mapping program, described the process for development and adoption of flood maps, and provided a demonstration of the latest mapping technology and those most commonly used in the industry.

“After they return to China and look over the information they collected from various sources, they will determine which processes and technologies will work best for them in their efforts to improve floodplain management in the Songhua River Basin,” said Mr. Makarem.

The Chinese delegation left Dewberry with a sizable amount of material from ASFPM, FEMA, and as a special gift, a copy of Dewberry’s Land Development Handbook.

FEMA and ASFPM Need Videos and Pictures for Advanced Floodplain Management Training

ASFPM is collecting videos and pictures for use in floodplain management training. ASFPM and FEMA are combining efforts to bring floodplain managers updated and interesting advanced floodplain management training topics. In order to provide these high quality opportunities, we are asking all flood hazard professionals to share videos or pictures they have that support floodplain management concepts.

The Insider May 2005 5 Specifically, we ask that if you have videos, that you provide them to us with the following information on a sheet of paper accompanying your video(s):

 When was the video produced?  How long is it?  What is/are the main topic(s)?  How would you rate its quality from 1 (low) to 5 (high)?  Is the video public domain?  Who do we contact to make copies or use parts of the video?

For pictures, please use the following guidelines. We have many pictures of flood damage, we have far fewer pictures of successful mitigation, community inspection visits and discoveries, homeowner violations, natural floodplains, etc. If you can provide a picture with an individual in the shot, (with the exception of the homeowner violations, of course) it adds considerably to the value of the picture. On a separate sheet of paper, please provide the following information:

 Where was the picture taken, (street address, State, and/or latitude/longitude)?  What concept does the picture represent, i.e. what violation, or which mitigation measure?  What is the name of the affected watershed where the picture was taken?  Who is in the picture? Do we have their written permission to use them in the photo?  When was the picture taken - time, date, year?

How to Submit these materials: If you are going to the ASFPM National conference in Madison, WI in June, please submit your photos or videos to the people at FEMA’s Community Assistance table in the exhibit area, or just give them to Bill Lesser or Tom Hirt when you see them at the conference.

If you are not attending the conference, please submit your photos or videos to Bill Lesser at FEMA Headquarters, phone 202-646-2807, or email him at [email protected].

By providing these videos and pictures, you are supporting the development of floodplain management training throughout the country. We thank you for your assistance in this effort, and look forward to using your submissions to develop higher quality floodplain management training materials.

FEMA Officials Recognize Elba, Nebraska as 20,000th Participating Community in the National Flood Insurance Program

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The village of Elba, Neb., was recognized by U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the 20,000th participating community of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in a ceremony Thursday evening in Elba.

Elba is one of 340 NFIP participating communities in Nebraska. Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy and key staff from Nebraska's senate offices and Rep. Tom Osborne's office participated in the event.

Michael Buckley, acting deputy director for FEMA's Mitigation Division, praised Elba's leadership during the ceremony.

The Insider May 2005 6 "This voluntary program enables property owners in Elba to purchase flood insurance as a protection against flood losses in exchange for implementing a community floodplain management program designed to reduce future flood damages," he said. "Even though Elba is located mostly outside of the 100-year floodplain, the NFIP has paid one-quarter of its claims in the past 25 years to cover flood losses to those homes in moderate to minimal flood risk zones."

"The state of Nebraska is proud of Elba for taking this step to participate in the NFIP," said Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy. "We have 340 participating NFIP communities across the state, which is certainly a testament to our belief in the importance of regulated floodplain management. Our staffs have worked hand in hand with FEMA on this important issue. This evening's event symbolizes that partnership."

FEMA Regional Director Richard Hainje echoed Sheehy's praise of the relationship between state and FEMA in regard to the NFIP.

"As a result of this (partnership), there are 13,525 flood insurance policies in force in the state," Hainje said. "These policies are worth more than $1.5 billion dollars in insurance coverage for flood risks.

"Equally important has been the state's efforts with regard to flood hazard mapping," Hainje said. "The state has been very proactive and creative in partnering with FEMA to create flood hazard maps through FEMA's Cooperating Technical Partner program."

Established in 1968, the NFIP revolutionized almost non-existent programs of regulated floodplain development. Approximately three million buildings have been constructed throughout the nation in accordance with these floodplain management regulations. More than $1.1 billion in flood damages is prevented annually. Structures built to NFIP criteria experience 80 percent less damage through reduced frequency and severity of losses.

The NFIP is administered by FEMA. On March 1, 2003, FEMA became a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Return to Table of Contents

CFM ® Corner New email for certification questions is [email protected]. This section will appear in each issue of the Insider. For suggestions on specific topics or questions to be covered, please send an email to Anita at this address in the ASFPM Office.

Comparison of Certification Programs, John Ivey, PE, CFM, Chair PDC The Certified Board of Regents (CBOR) requested that the Professional Development Committee (PDC) conduct a comparison of the CFM Program with other certification programs to evaluate and identify areas to improve the CFM Program. Eleven certification programs were evaluated:

AICP – American Institute of Certified Planners – website www.planning.org RLA – Registered Landscape Architect - website www.asla.com PE – Professional Engineer or Registered Engineer – website www.ncees.org AIA – RA- Registered Architect - American Institute of Architects–website www.aia.org CEM- Certified Emergency Manager – website www.iaem.com RPLS – LS – Licensed Surveyor – website www.ncees.org H – Professional Hydrologist – website www.aihydro HG – Professional Hydrogeologist - website www.aihydro HGW - Professional Hydrologist (ground water) - website www.aihydro

The Insider May 2005 7 HWQ - Professional Hydrologist (water quality) - website www.aihydro CFM – Certified Floodplain Manager – website www.floods.org

The CFM Program was compared with the eleven certification programs and found that: 1. A college degree or up to 8 years of professional experience is required in all certification programs except CFM 2. A certification exam is required in all 11 programs 3. Membership in the supporting organization is required in most certification programs or a higher certification fee is charged, as is the case for the CFM program 4. The average supporting association annual dues is $220 per year while ASFPM is $90 per year and State Chapter or Association annual dues are as low as $30 per year. (ASFPM and State Chapter/Association dues are a bargain when compared to others). 5. The certification exams vary in format from narrative, analytical or multiple choice, true or false, and exercises. Some exams consist of 100 questions to 170 questions. Exam period ranges from 3 hours to 8 hours. 6. Certification exam fees average $325 for the 11 programs. Again the CFM program is a bargain with an exam fee of only $100. 7. Continuing education is required in eight of the eleven certification programs. Five programs have CEC’s available online as does the CFM program. 8. The average annual recertification fee is $130. Again the CFM program is a bargain with a recertification fee of only $50 every two years. 9. All eleven certification programs have websites to answer questions regarding certification and professional requirements.

In summary, the PDC believes that the CFM Program compares very well with other certification programs and CBOR and the ASFPM Executive Office should be commended for creating and maintaining the CFM Program as a service to the membership and improving floodplain management. New- Guide for Maintaining Certification We have just released a new document called, A Practical Guide to Maintaining Certified Status For Your CFM. A Big THANK YOU goes out to Laureen Gibson Gilroy, CFM from Oklahoma, for volunteering her time to write this as requested by the ASFPM Certification Board of Regents. We were looking for a way to make the process for what CFMs need to do to maintain their certification every 2 years easier to understand. She has used a scenario we can all understand, maintaining a car! Here is the link to download this form, http://www.floods.org/Certification/Practical_Guide.pdf Give it a try!

Washington Legislative Report

Meredith R. Inderfurth, Washington Liaison Rebecca C. Quinn, Legislative Officer

Lots of Action This Past Month During this past month, the biggest news for floodplain managers is passage of legislation making clear that mitigation funds are NOT taxable as income (see separate article in this issue). ASFPM Chair Chad Berginnis testified at a hearing on flood insurance and funding of the newly authorized repetitive loss programs. The Senate passed its version of the highway bill including a substantial set-aside for mitigation of storm water runoff. The Budget Resolution

The Insider May 2005 8 was finally agreed to by both Houses and allocations have been made to the various Appropriations subcommittees. Appropriations subcommittees in the House have begun to mark up their bills for FY 2006.

Repetitive Loss Funding and NFIP Oversight The House Financial Services Committee's Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity held a hearing on April 14th on the NFIP and the Repetitive Loss programs that were authorized in legislation passed last year (Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004). Only $8 million of the additional $70 million authorized was requested by the Administration. The funds are not new appropriations but transfer funds from the National Flood Insurance Fund. Chair Chad Berginnis testified before the subcommittee on April 14th. His testimony focused on the need to transfer funds for these programs so that they can be implemented. This is an investment in protecting the Fund from the average $200 million used annually for repetitive loss claims. He also spoke about implementation of the map modernization initiative. ASFPM’s written testimony can be read online at www.floods.org. FEMA and DHS Authorization The House Homeland Security Committee marked up the first ever Homeland Security Authorization bill on April 27th and 28th. Chairman Don Young (R-AK) of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced an amendment that would have restored to FEMA the programs that have been assigned to other parts of the Department of Homeland Security, particularly the Office of State and Local Coordination. He withdrew the amendment, but not until he had the assurance of Chairman Cox that the Committee would work with Rep. Young on his organizational concerns about FEMA's programs in the Department of Homeland Security. Appropriations DHS/FEMA

The Homeland Security Subcommittee of House Appropriations marked up its bill on May 4th. Results are largely embargoed until full Committee action on May 10th. The Subcommittee did include the full $200 million for map modernization and $150 million for Pre-Disaster Mitigation. During the mark-up, Chairman Harold Rogers (R-Ky) explained that a number of DHS programs were cut specifically because DHS had been so unresponsive to the Committee's requests for information. His displeasure was backed up by the Ranking Minority Member, Rep. Martin Sabo (D-MN). Interior The Interior Appropriations Subcommittee also marked up on May 4th. Significant cuts were made to the EPA budget, but details are not yet available. This bill, too, will be marked up in full Committee on May 10th and more information will then be available. The bill also includes funds for the USGS. While the overall budget request for USGS was only a slight reduction from the FY '05 funded level, some portions of the budget had been cut more than others in the budget request. The primary deep cut was in the Minerals programs. Apparently the Subcommittee restored that funding and also funded the National Institutes for Water Resources for which the budget request included no funds.

Other Legislation

The Insider May 2005 9 A number of bills of interest to the Association have been introduced and are pending consideration. They can all be reviewed by going to http://thomas.loc.gov: H.R. 1137, Responding Equitably, Swiftly, Proportionally, and On-time to Natural Disasters Act of 2005 (to improve disaster response and for other purposes) H.R. 1795, ‘Whatever It Takes' To Rebuild Act of 2005 (assistance under the community disaster loan program related to terrorist acts) H.R. 1870 and S. 939, Disaster Recovery Act of 2005 (to expedite payments of certain Federal emergency assistance)

Applied Grants for Disaster Risk Reduction II

The ProVention Consortium is a global partnership of governments, international organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, and civil society organizations, aimed at reducing disaster impacts in developing countries. The Consortium functions as a network to share knowledge and to connect and leverage resources to reduce disaster risk.

In order to support innovative disaster risk management projects in developing countries, build up local research capacity, and encourage young professionals (under 35 years of age) to become more involved in disaster risk reduction, the ProVention Consortium, in collaboration with the World Bank’s Hazard Management Unit (HMU) launched an “Applied Research Grants Program for Disaster Risk Reduction” in December 2002. Young researchers were invited to propose creative projects in three categories: hazard and risk identification, risk reduction, and risk sharing/transfer.

Sixty-five individuals and/or teams from 27 countries were awarded grants of up to US $5,000. Each project was carried out under the guidance of a mentor who is a professional in the field of disaster risk management. The young professionals completed their projects in January 2004. After a series of reviews, fifteen projects were selected as representative of the most innovative and sustainable project activities. Team leaders from these projects presented their findings at the “Global Symposium for Hazard Risk Reduction”, July 26-28, 2004 at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC.

The ProVention Consortium is now sponsoring a second round of grants to support research on innovative disaster risk management and encourage competent young professionals dedicated to reducing disaster risk in developing countries. Students and young professionals from developing countries are invited to propose creative projects and ideas. These proposals may include research projects, professional internships, or professional development programs. Applications will be screened by a jury of ProVention Consortium partners. Awards will be made to proposals with the potential of making a significant contribution to the field. The selected projects will be awarded a maximum grant of $5,000 and must be completed within nine months of award under the guidance of a faculty advisor or mentor who is a disaster professional.

The Insider May 2005 10 For a full description of Proposal Themes, Objectives, and Guidelines visit the ProVention Consortium website at www.proventionconsortium.org/projects/appliedres_application.htm.

NEWS IN BRIEF NOAA Seeks Applicants for Undergraduate Scholarships The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is accepting applications for a new undergraduate scholarship program in honor of the recently retired South Carolina Senator Ernest F. Hollings, who throughout his career promoted ocean research and the study of our atmosphere. NOAA's Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program will provide about 110 college undergraduates up to $28,425 to support academic studies related to NOAA science, research, technology, policy, management, and education activities, and a related internship designed to provide a "hands-on," multidisciplinary training experience. The Hollings scholarship program will provide selected undergraduate applicants with awards that include academic assistance for full-time study during their junior and senior years (up to a maximum of $8,000 per year); a 10- week, full-time internship position ($650/week) during the summer at a NOAA or partner facility; a housing subsidy for scholars who do not reside at home during the summer internship; and travel expenses to attend and participate in a Hollings scholarship program conference at the end of the internship. Applications are due May 23, 2005. For more details, and how to apply visit http://www.orau.gov/noaa/HollingsScholarship/. Natural Hazards Center Survey To better serve your needs, the Natural Hazards Center is conducting an assessment of the Natural Hazards Library (http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/library/). As part of this assessment, the Center is surveying both producers and users of research and knowledge on extreme events. The survey is extremely important and will provide answers to questions regarding user needs, library usage, and how the existing resources and services can be augmented and improved. It consists of nine questions and should take approximately two minutes to complete. To ensure confidentiality, this survey is anonymous and your responses cannot be linked to you. To make this as simple as possible, the Center has posted the survey on the Web at http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/library/survey/. It will remain online through June 30, 2005. Please note that you do not have to be familiar with the Natural Hazards Library to take the survey. If you have any questions about the survey or the library, please contact the Natural Hazards Library at [email protected] or (303) 492-5787. State Mitigation Plans All 50 states now have approved state mitigation plans. In addition, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, CNMI, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands have approved State level mitigation plans. (The Federated States of Micronesia is the only non-Tribal jurisdiction outstanding now, and Region IX expects to be able to approve it soon). All are at the Standard level, except for Washington, Missouri, and Oklahoma, which have approved Enhanced plans. Three Tribal governments have approved State level mitigation plans. These are the Hualapai Tribe and the LaJolla Band of Luiseno Indians (Region IX) and the Lummi Nation (Region X). Trivia: 2005 Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Names

The Insider May 2005 11 Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists originated by the National Hurricane Center and now maintained and updated by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization. The lists featured only women's names until 1979, when men's and women's names were alternated. Six lists are used in rotation. Thus, the 2005 list will be used again in 2011. The only time that there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity. The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1, 2005. Here are the names for this year's Atlantic tropical cyclones: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Dennis, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harvey, Irene, Jose, Katrina, Lee, Maria, Nate, Ophelia, Philippe, Rita, Stan, Tammy, Vince, Wilma. For information about the worldwide naming of tropical cyclones, visit http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml.

ASFPM’s 2005 Annual Conference is less than 6 weeks away! The early registration discount cut off is Friday May 13! If you haven’t booked a hotel yet, please do so soon, as hotels are filling up quickly. Some hotel blocks are already full, but rooms are occasionally being cancelled, so do try calling the hotel again. Registration forms, and information about hotels can be found on our website www.floods.org. We hope to see you in Madison!

Floodplain Manger’s Calander Below are just several of the upcoming conferences and workshops. For a full listing, visit our online calendar at www.floods.org/Conferences,%20Calendar/calendar.asp

ASDSO Northeast Regional Association of State Dam Safety Officials May 16 – 18, 2005 Conference, Cape May, NJ www.damsafety.org 6th National Hydrologic Warning Council Conference National Hydrologic Warning Council May 17 - 21, 2005 and Exposition, Sacramento, www.udfcd.org/Nhwc CA 9th National Watershed National Watershed Coalition May 22 – 25, 2005 Conference, The Drawbridge, www.watershedcoalition.org Ft. Mitchell, KY

2005 National Flood May 31 – June 3, 2005 Conference Marco Island, FL FEMA

June 8 – 10, 2005 Riverfront Communities: A The Susquehanna River Basin

The Insider May 2005 12 Commission Susquehanna Symposium www.srbc.net No Adverse Impact: Partnering for Sustainable Floodplain Management - Association of State Floodplain Managers June 12 – 17, 2005 ASFPM's 29th Annual www.floods.org Conference, Monona Terrace Convention Center, Madison, WI - 12 core CECs

15th World Conference on Canadian Centre for Emergency July 10 – 15, 2005 Disaster Management, Preparedness Toronto, Ontario, Canada www.ccep.ca

National Dam Safety Program, ASDSO Advanced www.damsafety.org July 12 – 15, 2005 Technical Seminar on Dam Failure Analysis, Columbus, OH

Hydrologic Modeling Conference – Deadline for Abstracts Extended to May 15, 2005! The joint 8th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference and 3rd Federal Interagency Hydrologic Modeling Conference will be held in Reno, Nevada April 2 -6, 2005. For the Call for Papers, topics, and submission guidelines, visit http://water.usgs.gov/wicp/acwi/sos/conf/call_papers_extended_42005.pdf.

JOB CORNER For a full description of the following jobs, and a listing of all current job openings, please visit ASFPM’s online job corner at http://www.floods.org/StatePOCs/jobs.asp

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Mitigation Division, Risk Assessment Branch, Building Science & Technology Section, Washington D.C.

Civil Engineer

DUTIES: The incumbent serves as Senior Engineer in the Building Science and Technology Section of the Risk Assessment Branch. The Section is responsible for the development of program policies, policy guidance, technical standards, and technical guidance on strategies and techniques to minimize the risk of damage to the built environment from natural hazards (earthquakes, flood, wind, and fire) and to minimize the risk of damage resulting from the interface of natural hazard with technological hazards. Duties: Serves as an individual with considerable knowledge on the use of various flood and wind damage reduction/hazard mitigation/building code, methods and techniques to reduce damage to the built environment located in the nation’s floodplain’s and high wind-prone areas. Works with others to identify research and development needs in the areas of flood and wind resistant design and construction practices. Ensure that all research and development activities assigned to them is carried out in conformance with Agency policy, are closely coordinated within the Agency and with other federal agencies, state, and local communities, and the building community. Supports disaster operation by responding to building science needs of Emergency Response Teams and Emergency Support Teams as assigned. Acts as the official point of contact for various

The Insider May 2005 13 organizations interested in natural hazard mitigation. Ensure that the Agency’s position is effectively represented, and completes complex engineering analyses of proposed changes.

For more details, eligibility requirements, and how to apply visit www.dhs.gov.

Flood Control District, Maricopa County Chief Engineer (General Manager)

The Chief Engineer and General Manager reports to the Public Works Director and provides the District with leadership to manage a significant organization ($80M) directing the design, construction, and maintenance of flood control structures, dams, and related facilities. The Chief Engineer oversees the acquisition and disposal of real property and other special district functions. Maricopa County (3,500,000 population) is home to more than half of the State's residents offering a dynamic and diverse community in which to both live and provide public service at this level. This management position directly supervises division managers (Administration, Engineering, Operations & Maintenance, Planning & Project Management, Real Estate, Regulatory and GIS) and also indirectly oversees a total staff of 225. Candidates should have a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering; Master's preferred. Requires minimum of five years of administrative and/or supervisory experience and registration (or ability to obtain) as a Civil Engineer in AZ. Salary is $100-$124,000 based on qualifications plus excellent benefits. Detailed brochure is available at www.ralphandersen.com. Candidates are encouraged to apply prior to May 11, 2005. Confidential inquires welcomed to Heather Renschler at 916-630-4900.

Natural Hazards Center Communications Specialist

Founded in 1976, the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder is an international clearinghouse of knowledge concerning the social science and policy aspects of disasters. The Center collects and shares research and experience related to preparedness for, response to, recovery from, and mitigation of disasters, emphasizing the link between hazard mitigation and sustainability to both producers and users of research and knowledge on extreme events.

The Communications Specialist will be responsible to the Director and Program Manager for the effective management of the Natural Hazard Center’s special publications editing and outreach efforts.

To view the full listing of duties and responsibilities, visit the online listing at www.floods.org/StatePOCs/jobs.asp.

For more information about the Natural Hazards Center, go to: www.colorado.edu/hazards/. Please send a resume, writing sample, and cover letter via U.S. mail to Greg Guibert, Natural Hazards Center, 482 UCB University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309 or via e-mail to [email protected] by May 16, 2005. Materials will be reviewed as they are received. This is a full time position with excellent benefits and a starting salary in the mid 30’s.

Southeast Watershed Forum Watershed Manager / Trainer

The Southeast Watershed Forum is looking for a water quality specialist to assist in developing and conducting community watershed training workshops throughout the region. A background and a minimum of 5 years experience in pollution source assessments, stormwater best

The Insider May 2005 14 management practices, consensus building, facilitation, strategic planning and intergovernmental water quality programs is recommended. This person will provide technical reviews and evaluations of local planning efforts, and design programs and processes to assist in local land use planning initiatives. Position can be full time or part time. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Application deadline: June 30, 2005

Please send your resume or inquiries to [email protected].

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