Sun Feb 16 11:20:00 UTC 2025: **FEMA Halts Enforcement of Flood Safety Rules for Public Buildings**
**Washington, D.C.** – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has quietly suspended enforcement of a key regulation designed to protect public buildings from flood damage, raising concerns among experts about public safety and potential legal violations.
The agency’s decision, revealed in an internal memo obtained by The New York Times, involves the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. This rule, a cornerstone of the Biden administration’s efforts to mitigate the rising costs of disaster recovery, mandates that publicly-funded buildings in flood zones be rebuilt to withstand future flooding when damaged or destroyed. This could involve elevating structures or relocating them to safer areas.
The rule, first proposed in 2016, faced significant opposition from the home-building industry over increased construction costs. Its implementation was halted under the Trump administration before being reinstated by President Biden in 2021.
FEMA’s decision to pause enforcement, detailed in a February 4th memo from Chief Counsel Adrian Sevier, contradicts the agency’s previous stated goal of breaking the cycle of repeated damage and rebuilding of flood-prone structures, a cycle exacerbated by climate change. Former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell had emphasized the rule’s cost-saving potential for taxpayers.
Experts warn that the suspension of this critical safety regulation could jeopardize public safety and potentially violate federal law. The lack of public announcement regarding this policy shift further amplifies concerns. The reasons behind FEMA’s decision remain unclear and are yet to be publicly explained.
First Piper 