PUBLIC NOTICE MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION FEMA-4762-DR-VT

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), U.S. Department of Homeland Security is giving public notice of its intent to provide assistance to the State of Vermont, local and tribal governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations under the Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs for major disaster declaration FEMA-4762-DR-VT pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Pub. L. No. 93-288 (1974) (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. § 5121 et seq.) (“Stafford Act”). FEMA is also giving public notice that, in some cases, it may provide assistance for Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program activities that may affect historic properties, may be located in or affect wetland areas or the 100-year floodplain, and/or may involve critical actions within the 500-year floodplain. 

I. Public Notice – Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-4762-DR-VT and Overview of Authorized Assistance

The President declared a major disaster for the State of Vermont on March 2, 2024, pursuant to his authority under the Stafford Act as a result of the severe storm and flooding that occurred from December 18-19, 2023. This declaration, designated FEMA-4762-DR-VT, authorized the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program statewide and Public Assistance Grant Program for Essex, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor Counties. It is possible that Public Assistance may later be authorized for additional counties and the Individual Assistance may later be authorized for one or more counties. 

The Public Assistance Grant Program is authorized by, inter alia, Sections 403, 406, 407, and 428 of the Stafford Act (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. §§ 5170b, 5172, 5173, and 5189f). Under this Program, FEMA may provide financial and/or direct assistance for state agencies, local and tribal governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations to perform debris removal, emergency protective measures, and permanent restoration of facilities damaged or destroyed by the incident. In the case of permanent restoration of damaged or destroyed facilities, FEMA may provide financial assistance to restore facilities to their pre-disaster condition, in conformity with the latest published editions of relevant consensus-based codes, standards, and specifications, and including hazard mitigation measures to reduce the effects of future hazards. A “facility” is any publicly or privately owned building, works, system, or equipment, built or manufactured, or an improved and maintained natural feature. Land used for agricultural purposes is not a facility. 

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is authorized by Section 404 of the Stafford Act (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. § 5170c). Under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, FEMA may provide financial assistance for state agencies, local and tribal governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations to take mitigation measures to substantially reduce the risk of, or increase resilience to, future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering. 

II. Public Notice – Financial Assistance for Activities Located in or that Affect Wetlands Areas or Floodplains or that Affect Historic Properties

Some of the activities for which FEMA provides financial assistance under the Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs may be located in or affect wetland areas or the 100-year floodplain, may involve critical actions within the 500-year floodplain, and/or may affect historic properties. In those cases, FEMA must comply with Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management (as amended by Executive Order 13690, Establishing a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and a Process for Further Soliciting and Considering Stakeholder Input); Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands; FEMA’s implementing regulations at 44 C.F.R. pt. 9 (Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands); FEMA Policy No. 104-22-0003, Partial Implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard for Public Assistance; FEMA Policy No. 206-21-0003-0001, Partial Implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard for Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs (Dec. 2022); the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Pub. L. No. 89-655 (1966) (codified as amended at 54 U.S.C. § 300101 et seq.) (“NHPA”); and its implementing regulations at 36 C.F.R. pt. 800 (Protection of Historic Properties). The executive orders, NHPA, and/or regulations require FEMA to provide public notice for certain activities as part of approving the award of financial assistance for specific Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects. 

A. Federal Actions in or Affecting Floodplains and/or Wetlands

Executive Orders 11988 and 11990 require that all federal actions (including federal awards of financial and direct assistance) in or affecting the floodplain or wetlands be reviewed for alternatives to avoid adverse effects and incompatible developments in those areas. The regulations at 44 C.F.R. pt. 9 set forth the FEMA policy, procedure, and responsibilities for implementing the Executive Orders. Certain actions under the Public Assistance Grant Program are totally excluded from being covered by 44 C.F.R. pt. 9, such as emergency protective measures necessary to save lives and protect property and public health. See 44 C.F.R. § 9.5(c). Other actions require only a limited review, such as repairs to certain facilities between $5,000 and $25,000. See 44 C.F.R. § 9.5(g). There will be no public notices concerning these actions.

For those actions not excluded from 44 C.F.R. pt. 9, FEMA will identify and evaluate practicable alternatives to carrying out a proposed action in the wetlands or floodplain and use social, economic, historical, environmental, legal, and safety factors when analyzing the practicability of the alternatives. Where there is no practicable alternative, FEMA will undertake a detailed review to determine what measures can be taken to minimize potential harm to lives and risk from flooding, the potential adverse impacts the action may have on others, and the potential adverse impact the action may have on floodplain and wetland values. FEMA, in setting these minimization measures, will implement the elevation requirements set forth in 44 C.F.R pt. 9 and/or FEMA Policy Nos. 104-22-0003 and 206-21-0003-0001 for those actions involving structure elevation, floodproofing, or new construction. FEMA may publish subsequent public notices regarding Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects as necessary as more information becomes available and the public may be invited to participate in the process of identifying alternatives, analyzing their impacts, and identifying minimization measures. 

FEMA has determined that there are normally no practicable alternatives outside the floodplain or wetlands for restoration of certain damaged facilities and structures for which FEMA is providing financial assistance under the Public Assistance Grant Program. See 44 C.F.R. § 9.5(d). These include Public Assistance projects for the replacement of building contents, materials, and equipment and projects for the repair of facilities or structures that meet all the following: 

1. The FEMA estimated cost of repairs is less than 50% of the estimated replacement cost of the entire facility or structure and is less than $100,000.
2. The facility or structure is not located in a floodway or coastal high hazard area.
3. The facility or structure has not sustained structural damage from flooding in a previous Stafford Act major disaster or emergency. 
4. The facility or structure has not sustained structural damage on which a flood insurance claim has been paid.
5. The restoration of the facility or structure is not a critical action. A critical action means an action for which even a slight chance of flooding is too great.

For Public Assistance projects meeting these criteria, this is the only public notice that FEMA will provide. FEMA may provide financial assistance for such projects to restore the facility to its pre-disaster condition, in conformity with the latest published editions of relevant consensus-based codes, standards, and specifications, and including hazard mitigation measures to reduce the effects of future hazards. Code, specification, or standard-triggered upgrades and/or hazard mitigation measures could include, for example, increasing the size of a culvert or elevating or floodproofing a structure. For all elevations and floodproofing required for non-critical actions in the floodplain, FEMA will implement the elevation requirements set forth in FEMA Policy No. 104-22-0003. 

FEMA also intends to provide Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding for state agencies, local and tribal governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations to perform various mitigation projects. These projects may include construction of new facilities, modification of existing, undamaged facilities, relocation of facilities out of floodplains, demolition of structures, or other types of projects to mitigate future disaster damage. For projects in the floodplain involving structure elevations, floodproofing, or mitigation reconstruction, FEMA will implement the elevation requirements set forth in FEMA Policy No. 206-21-0003-0001 (for non-critical actions) and 44 C.F.R. pt. 9 (for critical actions). FEMA may publish subsequent public notices regarding Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects as necessary as more information becomes available.

B. Federal Actions Affecting Historic Properties

Section 106 of the NHPA requires FEMA to consider the effects of its activities (known as “undertakings”) on any historic property and consider public views and comments on such projects before making final decisions for certain Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects and expending federal funds. Both Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects are “undertakings” for the purposes of the NHPA and a historic property is any property that is included in, or eligible for inclusion in, the National Register of Historic Places. For historic properties that will not be adversely affected by an undertaking, this will be the only public notice. FEMA, on the other hand, may provide additional public notices if a proposed FEMA undertaking would adversely affect a historic property. 

III. Further Information or Comment

This will be the only public notice regarding the actions described above for which FEMA may provide financial assistance under the Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs.  Interested persons may obtain information about these actions or a specific project by writing to the following: 

Federal Emergency Management Agency 
Attn: Mary Shanks, Acting Regional Environmental Officer
220 Binney Street, 7th Floor 
Cambridge, MA 02142
mary.shanks@fema.dhs.gov 

All comments concerning this public notice must be submitted in writing to FEMA within 15 days of its publication.