Cooperating Technical Partners (CTPs) are state, regional, or local agencies/communities interested in becoming involved with FEMA's flood map update. Indiana DNR‘s Division of Water has the capabilities and resources necessary to be active participants in this program in partnership with Polis center. There are many benefits of being a CTP. First, CTPs help create more accurate maps than FEMA, and they facilitate faster map updates. Also, information that is used for planning and permitting will become a key component for the maps developed, which can assist in better floodplain management. Finally, community CTPs can receive Community Rating System credits for their involvement. These credits can lead to discounted flood insurance premiums for property owners in the community. Funding for CTP mapping projects is used for refinement of approximate Zone A boundaries, hydrologic and hydraulic analyses and floodplain mapping, Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) preparation, re-delineation of detailed flood hazard information using updated topographic data, etc.
The federal process is followed when updating federal flood hazard maps for flood insurance (FIRM) through CTP.
- Discovery – Allows communities to provide comment on future mapping updates
- Scoping – Scoping is agreed upon considering DNR and FEMA priorities. Once the NOFO (Notice of funding opportunities) is released, DNR alongside the Polis Center applies for CTP grant
- Data Development – Hydrology and Hydraulics are conducted to produce the draft data for Flood Insurance Studies and the draft data is presented to the community for initial review.
- Preliminary Map Production - Preliminary maps and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report is developed once the draft data is reviewed by local officials and updates are made. A flyer is then sent to all the affected property owners notifying of the Open House.
- Open House - The meeting is held on the scheduled date where DNR and Polis Center staff are present to answer questions about the new mapping and insurance requirements.
- Appeals - After the Open House there is a 90-day appeal period during which property owners have the opportunity to submit additional data and file an appeal or protest.
- Final Map Production - Once the appeals and protests are reviewed and changes are finalized on the maps and FIS report FEMA issues the Letter of Final Determination.
- Adoption - The community must adopts ordinance updates within 6 months and the maps become effective for insurance purposes.
