FEMA PUBLIC NOTICE OF ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS
SAINT BERNARD PARISH
NORTH FLORRISANT & SOUTH FLORRISANT PUMP STATIONS
REGGIO, LOUISIANA

The Department of Homeland Security and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) have established Alternative Arrangements (AA) to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and CEQ regulations for implementing the procedural requirements of NEPA, for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants to reconstruct critical infrastructure in the New Orleans Metropolitan Area (Federal Register, Vol. 71, No. 56, p. 14712, March 23, 2006).

Interested parties are hereby notified that FEMA has determined that the improved project for the 	North Florrisant Pumping Station (NFPS) and South Florrisant Pumping Station (SFPS) qualifies for expedited NEPA review under the AA guidelines.  The Parish of Saint Bernard has prepared and submitted an application to FEMA for funding under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program being administered in response to FEMA-1603-DR-LA.  The Presidential Disaster Declaration, for this event was signed on August 29, 2005. 

On August 29, 2005, the NFPS, located approximately 0.4 miles north from Reggio, Louisiana, and the SFPS, located approximately 1.3 miles northeast from Reggio, Louisiana, were severely damaged by flood waters stemming from Hurricane Katrina.  The damages were evaluated by FEMA, and the cost to repair the existing facilities was determined to be greater than 50% of the replacement cost.  As such, St. Bernard Parish was eligible to receive funding for the demolition and complete replacement of both facilities.  In lieu of “in-kind” replacement, however, St. Bernard Parish has determined that the public interest would be better served by demolishing the existing structures, constructing two new pumping facilities, one located approximately 175 linear feet east from the existing NFPS, and one approximately 86 linear feet southwest from the existing SFPS, both with access roads, discharge pipe extensions, and appurtenant structures as necessary.  

The public comment period will be from January 30, 2009 to February 14, 2009.  Written comments on the proposal may be mailed to:
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Environmental/Historic Preservation, Attn: Nick Knowles
1250 Poydras St., Box 43
New Orleans, LA 70113
or emailed to nicholas.knowles@dhs.gov, of faxed to FEMA’s Transitional Recovery Office in New Orleans at (504) 762-2871; and verbal comments will be accepted at (504) 762-2291 between 7:30 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.