TITLE 2: NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION 7: BUILDING AND ZONING CODES
§ 7161. Establishment of the Floodplain Management Program. There is hereby established within the Department of Public Works a floodplain management program. The floodplain management program shall be headed by a floodplain administrator who shall be within the Commonwealth civil service program. The floodplain administrator shall be designated by the director and shall report to the director. The floodplain administrator may hold another position within the Department of Public Works. The floodplain administrator shall have the necessary training and experience to insure that the incumbent can read all maps, engineering drawings, and other technical documents that pertain to the national insurance program. Source: PL 8-7, § 6. Commission Comment: PL 8-7 took effect November 13, 1992. According to PL 8-7, § 1: Section 1. Findings and Purpose. (a) Findings. The Legislature finds that certain areas of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas are subject to periodic flooding, mudslides (i.e., mudflows), or flood related erosion, causing serious damage to properties within these areas. Federal law provides that individual property owners, businesses and government agencies within these areas will not continue to be eligible for federal disaster assistance in the event of flooding and will not be eligible to purchase federally subsidized flood insurance unless the CNMI becomes a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program. Federally subsidized flood insurance is authorized by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. (b) Purpose. It is the purpose of this Act to amend the Building Safety Code ([PL 6-46]) to vest the Director of Public Works with the full authority to adopt and promulgate codes and regulations which will bring the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands into full compliance with provisions of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and its implementing regulations, and to make the CNMI a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program. With respect to the reference to the “Department of Public Works” in 2 CMC § 7161, see Executive Order 94-3 (effective August 23, 1994), reorganizing the executive branch, changing agency names and official titles, and effecting other changes, set forth in the Commission comment to 1 CMC § 2001.