This graphic illustrates the cumulative effect of the regulations. You can think of the regulations for a community in the NFIP as a staircase:

• Regulations build in increments according to available flood hazard data and flood zone designations.
• Each step adds more stringent regulations as the identification of the flood hazard is more narrowly honed.

When a community joins the NFIP:

• It enters at a level relative to the type of mapping data available for that community.
• The degree of regulation the community needs to adopt and enforce is based upon this level.

The next few screens look at each step of the staircase individually.