DR-4680-FL Public Notice 002

Notice Date

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) hereby gives notice to the public of its intent to provide funding for housing disaster survivors through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) and to reimburse eligible applicants for eligible costs to repair or replace facilities damaged by Hurricane Ian (FEMA-DR-4673-FL), during the incident period of September 23, 2022, to November 4, 2022, and Hurricane Nicole (FEMA-DR-4680-FL), during the incident period of November 07, 2022, to November 30, 2022.

An initial disaster-wide Public Notice was published on October 6, 2022, for Hurricane Ian and on December 27, 2022, for Hurricane Nicole.  Comments and other information received were considered by FEMA along with evaluation of social, economic, environmental, and safety considerations.

This notice serves as a cumulative final public notice for FEMA’s funding actions located within floodplains. This notice applies to the Public Assistance (PA) program and the Individual and Households Program (IHP) implemented under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 United States Code Parts 5121 to 5207. This notice is to inform the public of FEMA’s intent to allocate grant funds to State, local, tribal governments, and non-profit organizations for the repair or replacement of facilities, as well as provide funding through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) for disaster-related survivor housing within designated areas susceptible to flooding. These flood zones include A Zones, which are areas susceptible to a 1% annual chance of flooding up to the Base Flood Elevation (BFE); V Zones, which are areas susceptible to a 1% annual chance of flooding with high velocity wave-action; and regulatory floodways, which are areas regulated to provide for the discharge of the base flood. Shaded X Zones, which are areas susceptible to 0.2% annual chance of flooding, are considered with respect to Critical Actions (actions for which even the slightest chance of flooding is too great). In all cases, FEMA has followed the 8-step decision-making process described in 44 CFR Part 9 to determine the overall effect of projects within these areas and this notice shall only pertain to those projects which were determined to be practicable.

For Special Flood Hazard Areas (A Zones), this notice represents those projects that require the full 8-step decision-making process as set forth by 44 CFR Part 9 and in which the function is not otherwise served by a more practicable alternative. For these types of projects, relocation or abandonment of the facilities would cause adverse health and safety, social, and economic impacts to the local community. Flood risk will be minimized by all practicable means and projects would not adversely affect the floodplain.

For Coastal High Hazard Areas (V Zones) and regulatory floodways, this notice represents projects that meet the same criteria above. In addition, these projects must also be functionally dependent on their location within the Coastal High Hazard Area and floodway or facilitate open-space use. Functionally dependent, in this context, means a facility cannot fulfill its function unless it is located within the floodplain. Open-space use, in this context, means a facility is designated for recreation and is not used for residential, commercial, or other functions.

This notice does not apply to projects constituting substantial improvement or to facilities which have been deemed substantially damaged. The notice also does not apply to Critical Actions located in the A Zone, V Zone, or regulatory floodway.

For such projects described above, this cumulative public notice hereby fulfills the requirements of Executive Orders 11988: Floodplain Management and Executive Order 11990: Protection of Wetlands as regulated by 44 CFR Part 9.12. Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 and 44 CFR Part 9.12, final notice is hereby given of FEMA’s intent to provide funding for these projects under the Public Assistance (PA) and Individuals and Households Program (IHP) Programs.

Funding for the proposed projects will be conditional upon compliance with all applicable federal, tribal, state, and local laws, regulations, floodplain standards, permit requirements and conditions. This action complies with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements.

For those projects where the above criteria are not met, a project-specific final public notice will be published, allowing the public 15 days, as prescribed in 44 CFR 9.12, to comment upon proposed projects in the floodplain.

This will serve as the final public notice regarding the above-described actions funded by the FEMA PA and IHP programs.  Interested persons may submit comments, questions, or request a map of this specific project by writing to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region 4, 3005 Chamblee-Tucker Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30341 or by emailing FEMA-R4EHP-FLORIDA@fema.dhs.gov. Comments should be sent in writing with the subject line, “4673-4680 DR FL Cumulative Final Public Notice” at the above address within 15 days of the date of this notice.

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