Comment Submitted by Placer County Flood Control and Water Conservation District

Subject: Comments regarding FEMA Review Council Final Report – Department of Homeland Security [Docket No. DHS-2026-0067] 6/7/26 Michael Miron Committee Management Officer Office of Partnership and Engagement, Mailstop 0385 Department of Homeland Security 2707 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE Washington, DC 20032. To Whom It May Concern, The Placer County Flood Control and Water Conservation District submits the following comments in response to the Department of Homeland Security’s proposed rule published in the Federal Register on April 28, 2026 entitled FR Doc. 2026-08265 [Docket No. DHS-2026-0067]. The Placer County Flood Control and Water Conservation District is special district with expertise in floodplain management representing 421,446 residents and stakeholders within Placer County, California. Our members are directly impacted by Section 1 (page 7) and Section 10 (page 13) proposing to weaken or dissolve FEMA, and to defer disaster mitigation and planning to States and local communities, such as Placer County. We offer the following feedback on the proposed regulation: 1. Section-Specific Analysis: Regarding Section 1 (page 7) and Section 10 (page 13), we believe the agency’s approach in deferring the funding responsibility for floodplain management disaster planning and mitigation activities to States and communities in addition to weakening or dissolving FEMA will create potentially disastrous and unintended consequences for the nation and our community's ability to plan for and recover from extreme weather events or other disasters. Our assessment is based on National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2017 Interim Report that finds $1 invested in disaster mitigation by three federal agencies (including FEMA) saves society $6. 2. Recommendations for the Final Rule: To improve the proposed regulation and better achieve the agency's stated goals, we recommend the following alternatives: •Recommendation 1: Preserving the NFIP - We oppose the privatization of the NFIP as turning this program into an insurance-only model neglects the significant public benefits of hazard mitigation and preparation such the national mapping efforts, that have helped Placer County residents and communities plan for and mitigate for future flood risks. •Recommendation 2: Dividing or weaking FEMA - We oppose the proposed measures to divide or weaken FEMA and acknowledge deferring primary disaster response and financial burdens onto states (State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial governments) will leave underfunded and heavily impacted communities vulnerable and impact our nation and community’s ability to prepare for and recover from disasters. •Recommendation 3: National FEMA floodplain mapping - We highly recommend continuing the completion of the nationwide floodplain mapping efforts and FEMA Risk Map objectives, including offering annual FEMA Cooperative Technical Partnership (CTP) funding opportunities. This helps communities, such as Placer County, accurately identify flood hazards and associated risks and helps guide communities regarding critical land-use and hazard mitigation planning. This FEMA disaster mitigation funding saves communities money in the long run per the referenced NIBS findings. Thank you for your consideration of our views. We look forward to working with DHS to implement an effective final rule. Sincerely, J. Brad Brewer, MS, PE, CFM, QSD/P District Manager Placer County Flood Control and Water Conservation District 3091 County Center Drive, Suite 220 Auburn, CA 95603