Notice of Availability of Programmatic Environmental Assessment Regarding Stream and Shoreline Stabilization  Public Notice 001

Notice Date

Notice of Availability of Programmatic Environmental Assessment Regarding Stream and Shoreline Stabilization 
New Jersey and New York 

Notification is hereby given to the public of the intent of the Department of Homeland Security-Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS-FEMA) to provide Federal financial assistance to the State of New Jersey, New York State, and Federally recognized Tribal Nations under both disaster-declared and non-disaster grant programs for stream and shoreline stabilization actions. The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management and New York Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services are typically FEMA’s Recipients, Tribal Nations may be either Recipients or Subrecipients of FEMA grants; local governments and certain private non-profit organizations may be Subrecipients.  


In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) has been prepared to assess impacts to the human environment from common actions undertaken in the two states and actions that are reasonably foreseeable in future grant proposals. FEMA surveyed stream and shoreline projects from the last ten years, projects currently under review, and considered the scope and intensity other agencies use when funding, permitting, or undertaking similar actions. The actions included are 1) restoring the pre-disaster materials and dimensions of the embankment including current codes, standards, and limited mitigation; 2) stabilization using bioengineering techniques; 3) placing in-stream structures to indirectly stabilize embankments; 4) placing loose stone or rip rap to stabilize embankments; and, 5) installing rigid and semi-rigid armoring, such as bulkheads, gabions, and assorted sloped structures. DHS-FEMA’s requirement of addressing floodplain management and wetlands protection in accordance with 44 CFR Part 9 is incorporated within the PEA.


The PEA is available for public comment on FEMA’s website at https://www.fema.gov/multimedia-library; on New Jersey Office of Emergency Management website at https://njemgrants.org/; and linked to on the New York Department of Environmental Conservation Shoreline Stabilization website at https://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/50534.html. Written comments may be submitted by email to FEMAR2COMMENT@fema.dhs.gov, or by mail to ATTN: Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region II,  26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278. 


The comment period will end 30 days after the date this notice is confirmed on all three websites. Written comments on the PEA can be mailed or e-mailed to the contact below. If no substantive comments are received, the PEA will become final and a Finding of No Significant Impact will be signed. Substantive comments will be addressed as appropriate in the final documents.  

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