eLearning Tool for FEMA Grant Applicants
Section E: Floodplain Management
- E.1: Determining if your project is in the floodplain
- E.2: Documenting alternatives to locating a project in the floodplain
- E.3: Determining if your project alters a waterway
- E.4: How to Address Adverse Effects
- E.5: How to provide helpful and relevant support documentation
E.2: Documenting alternatives to locating a project in the floodplain
If you answered “yes” to Section E, Question 1 of the PDM Environmental and Historic Preservation Questions, it is important to identify the means or alternatives considered to eliminate or minimize impacts to a floodplain. Whenever a proposed project is located in or may affect a floodplain, FEMA follows an 8-step process to evaluate, eliminate or at least minimize adverse impacts to floodplain function and value to comply with EO 11988. The key to the process is the analysis of alternatives to locating a project in the floodplain. If a project is located in or may affect the floodplain, it is critical to identify, develop, and evaluate alternate projects that could eliminate or minimize impacts to the floodplain, including a No Action alternative (what happens if you do not do the work you are proposing). Some proposed projects are location dependent in the floodplain, i.e. streambank stabilization or a bridge repair, and do not lend themselves to alternatives outside the floodplain. However, alternative methods of design, construction or materials should be considered if they have the potential of lessening the impacts on the floodplain or base flood elevations.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 15-Aug-2006 15:32:35 EDT