2020 West Virginia Code
Chapter 33. Insurance
Article 2. Insurance Commissioner
§33-2-23. Creation of the State Office of the National Flood Insurance Program; Responsibilities
(a) The Legislature, finding that the National Flood Insurance Program is a voluntary federal program under which federal flood insurance is made available to participating communities is of vital importance to the citizens of West Virginia, does hereby create the State Office of the National Flood Insurance Program, to be housed in the office of the Insurance Commissioner of West Virginia, and which office shall administer this program.
(b) The State Office of the National Flood Insurance Program shall have a coordinator who shall issue such regulations, guidance, and instructions as necessary to effectively administer the program. The coordinator shall conduct trainings and will adopt and enforce adequate land use and development criteria that are consistent with the minimum standards established by the National Flood Insurance Program and shall report to the Insurance Commissioner.
(c) Any state-owned property that is located in a nonparticipating local community will be governed by the rules promulgated by the Insurance Commissioner and filed in the Code of State Rules.
(d) The coordinator, in consultation with the Insurance Commissioner, and with the assistance of floodplain managers around the state, shall develop and publish a strategic plan to establish shared goals, define a path to meet those goals, and shall invite other governmental units to adopt these goals and objectives. The strategic plan shall be initially presented by the Coordinator to the State Resiliency Officer and to the State Resiliency Office Board who shall review and approve the strategic plan, and that plan shall be so presented and approved no less than biannually thereafter. The strategic plan shall be made available to the public.
(e) The coordinator shall establish and enforce flood plain management regulations for any state property in special hazard areas which, at a minimum, satisfy the criteria set forth in 44 CFR 60.3, 60.4, and 60.5 (2019).
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, the coordinator shall cooperate with the State Resiliency Office to the fullest extent practicable to assist that office in fulfilling its duties.
