One big change is that rather than individuals forwarding their comments or appeals directly to FEMA, each community must designate its Chief Executive Officer or a community official appointed by the Chief Executive Officer, as the person to collect and review comments and appeals before forwarding them to FEMA.

Following release of the preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM), the community will automatically receive a 30-day comment period. However, when BFEs are shown on the map, the community will be granted a 90-day appeal period. FEMA will reference the 30-day comment period or the 90-day appeal period in a letter when maps are released.

Both appeals and comments must be supported by technical or scientific data, and submitted to the appointed community official within the designated appeal period. After reviewing the information, the official should include a statement disclosing whether or not the community supports the request.

Community appeals and comments usually involve changes to items such as:

Appeals:

• New or revised Base Flood Elevations

• Floodplain boundary delineations
• Corporate limits
• Road names and configurations
• Nonflood hazard features
• Political boundaries

All data and documentation submitted challenging the above items must prove the preliminary DFIRM or Flood Insurance Study is incorrect. In addition, all maps, except community maps showing corporate limits and roads, and other submitted supporting data, must be certified by a Registered Professional Engineer or a Licensed Land Surveyor and must reflect existing conditions. Maps prepared by authoritative sources such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Geologic Survey or a state Department of Highways or Transportation, are acceptable without certifications as long as the sources and dates of the maps are identified.