IMAGES Act of 2021

Improvement of Mapping, Addresses, Geography, Elevations, and Structures Act of 2021 or the IMAGES Act of 2021

This bill reauthorizes through FY2027, and otherwise revises, the National Flood Mapping Program.

Specifically, the Federal Emergency Management Agency must

• integrate planimetric features (i.e., nontopographic features) including parcel identification data and address information in National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) rate maps (community maps delineating flood hazard areas, flood elevations, and flood risk zones applicable to flood insurance rate determination);
• update rate maps to reflect specified timely geographic data and protocols;
• coordinate with the United States Geological Survey to ensure maintenance of stream flow gages;
• publish NFIP rate map data through a publicly available national geospatial data repository; and
• award certain contracts in accordance with existing qualification procedures applicable to architectural and engineering services.

The bill also allocates funds from the National Flood Insurance Fund for the creation and maintenance of NFIP rate maps.