INITIAL & FINAL PUBLIC NOTICE

Mohave Valley Fire Safe Community Project

Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management

FMAG-AZ-5095-2

 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) intends to provide federal financial assistance under the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management for the Mohave Valley Fire Safe Community Project (proposed action). Pursuant to Executive Orders 11988 (Floodplain Management) and 11990 (Wetlands Management) and FEMA’s implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides interested parties with a notice its intent to carry out an action affecting a floodplain and wetland. This notice also provides interested parties with a notice its final decision and an explanation of the alternatives that were considered.

The proposed action would involve fuels reduction work on a total of approximately 32 acres in Mohave Valley, Arizona. There are two project sites, site one is adjacent to Willow Valley Estates (approximately 7 acres of fuels treatment) and site two is adjacent to Mohave Ranch Estates (approximately 25 acres of fuels treatment). Work would be done by hand crews with chainsaws to cut woody vegetation. Cut vegetation would be hand stacked into piles for future burning. A portion of site two is within a Zone A, as shown on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panel 04015C5054J dated December 2, 2015. Zone A is an area that has a 1-percent probability of flooding every year and where predicted flood water elevations have not been established. The entire project area of site one is within freshwater forested/shrub wetlands as shown on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory maps. Maps of the project areas and their location within the floodplain and wetlands are available for public inspection. All parties interested in receiving a copy of the maps should contact the FEMA Region IX Environmental Officer at the address or phone number below.

The alternative to completing the fuels reduction work is taking no action. The amount of vegetative fuels needs to be reduced in areas adjacent to development to protect them from future wildfires. Removing trees in another location would not provide the hazard reduction. FEMA has determined that the proposed action is the only feasible alternative available to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management; thus, the proposed action must occur in a floodplain and wetlands. The proposed action would not adversely affect the floodplain and wetlands and is necessary to preserve life and property. There would be no impacts beyond short-term, temporary impacts during the implementation of the proposed action. Best management practices will be implemented for erosion and sedimentation control and disturbed areas will be restored to preexisting grade. Native riparian tree species like cottonwood and willow will not be removed in wetland areas. The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management is responsible for implementing and monitoring the proposed action and ensuring it conforms to floodplain and wetland standards.

Additional information about FEMA’s proposed action may be obtained by writing the FEMA Region IX Environmental Officer at FEMA, 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200, Oakland, California 94607; fema-rix-ehp-documents@fema.dhs.gov; or calling (510) 627-7027. All requests must be received no later than 15 days after publication of this notice. No action will be taken before this time.