New Executive Order Establishes Federal Flood Risk Management Standard

Recognizing the increased flood risk caused by climate change, President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order on January 30, 2015, that establishes a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard to reduce the cost of future flood disasters. This standard requires Federally funded projects (e.g., buildings, roads, and other infrastructure) that impact floodplains to meet higher flood risk standards.

The Administration also released draft guidelines for implementing the standard for public comment. Agencies will be able to implement the standard in a number of ways and seek input from the public and stakeholders before doing so.

For more information on the new standard, see the Council on Environmental Quality fact sheet Taking Action to Protect Communities and Reduce the Cost of Future Flood Disasters.