The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Florida Division of Emergency Management have received the following application for Federal grant funding. Final notice is hereby given of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) consideration to provide funding in the form of a Flood Mitigation Assistance Program Grant.
Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), federal actions must be reviewed and evaluated for feasible alternatives and for social, economic, historic, environmental, legal, and safety considerations. Under Executive Order (EO) 11988 and EO 11990 FEMA is required to consider alternatives to and to provide public notice of any proposed actions in or affecting floodplains or wetlands. EO 12898 also requires FEMA to provide the opportunity for public participation in the planning process and to consider potential impacts to minority or low-income populations.
Funding for the proposed project will be conditional upon compliance with all applicable federal, tribal, state and local laws, regulations, floodplain standards, permit requirements and conditions.
Applicant:
Escambia County
Project Title:
FMA-FL-2014-025 Escambia County Mitigation Reconstruction
Location of Proposed Work:
The area affected by this project consists of residential properties located on the following streets in Escambia County:
- Mobile Highway
- Gorham Road
Proposed Work and Purpose:
Escambia County proposes to mitigate single-family residences located in areas of Escambia County that are located in the community’s Special Flood Hazard Area (Zone AE) that have experienced flood loss. The properties will be mitigated through “mitigation reconstruction” projects, where an existing structure is demolished and an elevated, hazard-resistant, and code-compliant structure is built in its place. In compliance with Escambia County’s Land Development Code, the structures’ finished floor elevation will rest at least three feet above the base flood elevation. Utilities and attendant equipment that is elevated shall not be located below the lowest floor elevations, including freeboard, in accordance with ASCE 24-05 Guidelines. All new structures will be constructed out of similar types of materials as the original structures; an assortment of wood and masonry. All construction will comply with Florida and local building code requirements and specifications.
Project Alternatives:
The alternatives to the project that have been and will be considered are 1) the no action alternative and 2) acquisition demolition. These alternatives to the proposed project are not viable because under Alternative 1) the property will remain vulnerable to flood risks, including property damage and health hazards; as such, continued negative impacts on the property, residents, and community may be experienced; and Alternative 2) the property owners do not wish to sell their homes and eminent domain is not allowable for the purposes of the grant program.
Comment Period:
Comments are solicited from the public; local, state or federal agencies; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed project. The comments should be made in writing and addressed to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Recovery and Mitigation, 2555 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100. These are due within 30 days of this notice (or the actual date). The State will forward comments to applicable regulatory agencies as needed. Interested persons may submit written comments, obtain more detailed information about the proposed action, or request a copy of the findings by contacting:
Harry Gibson, Floodplain Administrator (850) 554-2826
Escambia County Building Inspections Department HTGibson@myescambia.com
Adele Balmer, State Environmental Liaison Officer (407) 856-5019
Florida Division of Emergency Management Adele.Balmer@em.myflorida.com
