FEMA: Canyon County Facing Probation From the National Flood Insurance Program

BOTHELL, Washington, Oct. 23 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release:

Canyon County, Idaho, will be placed on probationary status by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) on December 21, 2021, due to violations in the community's floodplain management program.

Canyon County is an NFIP-participating community with 178 flood insurance policies in force that cover more than $45 million as of October 13, 2021.

When a community joins the NFIP, it voluntarily adopts local floodplain management regulations to meet NFIP minimum floodplain management criteria. Placement on probation is a formal notice to the community that the local floodplain management program is not compliant with the criteria of the NFIP and is the first step in the process to suspend the community's eligibility to participate in the NFIP.

The probation will continue until all identified violations of the community's floodplain management regulations are remedied to the maximum extent practicable.

The identified program deficiencies include:

* Necessary ordinance revisions to bring the floodplain management program into compliance with the NFIP minimum criteria.

* Failure to obtain or require permits for accessory structures and other development within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) that falls outside the requirements of building codes.

* Failure to obtain or require permits and certification of elevation or other as-built documentation for 73 floodplain development actions in the SFHA.

FEMA and the Canyon County Floodplain Administrator have communicated many times between 2015 and 2021, through meetings, letters, and emails. Canyon County previously committed to a compliance plan with milestones and deadlines for remedying the outstanding violations that have been identified. To date, Canyon County has not met the milestones provided in their compliance plan; and violations remain in the County's floodplain management program.

During the probationary period, flood insurance coverage will remain available within Canyon County. However, a $50 surcharge will be added to the premium of each new and renewed flood insurance policy sold within the community for at least one-year from the effective date of probation. Each flood insurance policyholder in unincorporated Canyon County will receive a notice about the impending probation and the $50 surcharge.

Failure to correct identified deficiencies and to improve the floodplain management program within Canyon County during the probationary period can lead to suspension from the NFIP. If a flood disaster occurs in a suspended community, most types of federal disaster assistance would not be available. This includes the acquisition, construction, or repair of insurable structures within the SFHA as well as federal assistance to individuals and households for housing and personal property.

FEMA remains committed to providing technical assistance and guidance to remediate any deficiencies to help ensure that Canyon County residents and property owners continue to have flood insurance coverage available.