Municipality Empowerment Mapping Achievement Act of 2017 or the MEMA Act of 2017
This bill amends the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 to require National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) rate maps to be published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the entire United States (current law directs the mapping of certain risk areas). In developing these rate maps, FEMA must use the most current remote sensing technology.
In coordination with the Technical Mapping Advisory Council, FEMA shall establish a digital database to display the flood hazard risk of buildings in NFIP. The database must contain specified information about each property, including a certification of the building's elevation. FEMA shall provide a one-time premium credit for the purchase of an elevation certificate by a policyholder.
The bill amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to allow reimbursement to local governments that assist FEMA in developing flood risk zone data.