825 



equitably among those who will be protected by flood 

 Insurance and the general public. 



(e) It is the further purpose of this chapter to 



(1) encourage State and local governments to make 

 appropriate land use adjustments to constrict the 

 development of land which is exposed to flood dam- 

 age and minimize damage caused by flood losses, 



(2) guide the development of proposed future con- 

 struction, where practicable, away from locations 

 which are threatened by flood hazards. (3) encour- 

 age lending and credit institutions, as a matter of 

 national policy, to assist in furthering the objec- 

 tives of the flood insurance program, (4) assure that 

 any Federal assistance provided under the program 

 will be related closely to all flood-related programs 

 and activities of the Federal Government, and (5) 

 authorize continuing studies of flood hazards In 

 order to provide for a constant reappraisal of the 

 flood Insurance program and Its effect on land 

 use requirements. 



(f) The Congress also finds that (1) the damage 

 and loss which results from mudslides Is related in 

 cause and slmUar In effect to that which results 

 directly from storms, deluges, overflowing waters, 

 and other forms of flooding, and (2) the problems 

 involved- in providing protection against this damage 

 and loss, and the possibilities for making such pro- 

 tection available through a Federal or federally 

 sponsored program, are similar to those which exist 

 In cormection with efforts to provide protection 

 against damage and loss caused by such other forms 

 of flooding. It Is therefore the further purpose of 

 this chapter to make available, by means of the 

 methods, procedures, and instrumentalities which 

 are otherwise established or available under thi<; 

 chapter for purposes of the flood insurance program, 

 protection against damage and loss resi;lting from 

 mudslides that are caused by accumulations of water 

 on or under the ground. 



(g) The Congress also finds that (1) the damage 

 and loss which may result from the erosion and 

 undermining of shorelines by waves or currents in 

 lakes and other bodies of water exceeding anticipated 

 cyclical levels is related in cause and similar In effect 

 to that which results directly from storms, deluges, 

 overflowing waters, and other forms of flooding, and 

 (2) the problems Involved in providing protection 

 against this damage and loss, and the possibilities 

 for making such protection available through a 

 Federal or federally sponsored program, are similar 

 to those which exist in connection with efforts to 

 provide protection against damage and loss caused by 

 such other forms of flooding. It Is therefore the fur- 

 ther purpose of this chapter to make available, by 

 means of the methods, procedures, and Instrumen- 

 talities \i'hlch are otherwise established or available 

 under this chapter for purposes of the fiood In- 

 surance prognm, protection against damage and 

 loss resulting from the erosion and undermining of 

 shorelines by waves or currents in lakes and other 

 bodies of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels. 

 (As amended Pub. L. 93-234, title I, § 108(a). 

 Dec. 31, 1973, 87 Stat. 979.) 



Amendments 

 1973 — Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 93-234 added subsee. (g). 



(4002. Additional Congressional findings and declara- 

 tion of purpose. 



(a) The Congress finds that — 



(1) annual losses throughout the Nation from 

 floods and mudslides are increasing at an alarm- 

 ing rate, largely as a result of the accelerating 

 development of, and concentration of population 

 in, areas of flood and mudslide hazards; 



(2) the availability of Federal loans, grants, 

 guaranties, insurance, and other forms of financial 

 assistance are often determining factors in the 

 utilization of land and the location and construc- 

 tion of public and of private industrial, com- 

 mercial, and residential facilities; 



(3) property acquired or constructed with 

 grants or other Federal assistance may be ex- 

 posed to risk of loss through floods, thus frustrat- 

 ing the purpose for which such assistance was 

 extended; 



(4) Federal instrumentalities insure or other- 

 wise provide financial protection to banking and 



credit institutions whose assets include a substan- 

 tial number of mortgage loans and other indebt- 

 edness secured by property exposed to loss and 

 damage from floods and mudslides; 



(5) the Nation cannot afford the tragic losses 

 of life caused annually by flood occurrences, nor 

 the increasing losses of property suffered by flood 

 credit institutions whose assets include a substan- 

 victims, most of whom are still inadequately com- 

 pensated despite the provision of costly disaster 

 relief benefits; and 



(6) it is in the public interest for persons al- 

 ready living in flood-prone areas to have both an 

 opportunity to purchase flood insurance and ac- 

 cess to more adequate limits of coverage, so that 

 they will be indemnified for their losses In the 

 event of future flood disasters. 



(b) The purpose of this Act, therefore, Is to — 



(1) substantially increase the limits of cover- 

 age authorized under the national flood insurance 

 program; 



(2) provide for the expeditious identification of, 

 and the dissemination of information concerning, 

 flood-prone areas; 



(3) require States or local communities, as a 

 condition of future Federal financial assistance, 

 to participate in the flood insurance program and 

 to adopt adequate flood plan ordinances with ef- 

 fective enforcement provisions consistent with 

 Federal standards to reduce or avoid future flood 

 losses; and 



(4) require the purchase of flood Insurance by 

 property owners who are being assisted by Fed- 

 eral programs or by federally supervised, regu- 

 lated, or insured agencies or institutions In the 

 acquisition or improvement of land or facilities 

 located or to be located in identified areas having 

 special flood hazards. 



(Pub. L. 93-234, § 2, Dec. 31, 1973, 87 Stat. 975.) 



