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Preliminary Maps and FIS
Changes to FEMA's Appeal Process
FEMA has established an Expanded Appeals Process (EAP) that will take effect for all studies that will have an appeals period beginning on preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Insurance Study Reports after December 1st, 2011. Under the previous process, there were appeals and protests – appeals challenged new Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) and required scientific data warranting changes, and protests, for the most part, challenged corporate limits, road names, stream names, etc. Under the EAP, there will be appeals and comments. What is appealable has expanded to include not only new BFEs, but the addition/modification of any Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundary (both approximate and detailed floodplains), zone designations, or floodway boundaries. The requirement for submission of scientific data to warrant changes remains in place. Comments, like protests, will cover challenges to corporate limits, road names, stream names, etc.
The counties below with preliminary map data will go through the expanded appeals process, and posting the data to the web for convenient access to the general public is a FEMA requirement under the new process. Counties under the old appeals process will not have their preliminary maps posted here. If you are looking for effective map study data, please go to the FEMA Map Service Center. If you have any questions, please contact us.