PUBLIC NOTICE FEMA 4439-DR–LA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) hereby gives notice to the public of its intent to reimburse eligible applicants for eligible costs for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and tornadoes occurring between April 24-25, 2019. This notice applies to the Public Assistance (PA) program and Hazard Mitigation Grant (HMGP) implemented under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207.

Under a major disaster declaration (FEMA 4439-DR–LA) signed by the President on June 3, 2019, the following counties have been designated adversely affected by the disaster and eligible for Public Assistance: Lincoln, Morehouse, and Union parishes.  

Additional parishes may be designated at a later date. All parishes in the State of Louisiana are eligible for HMGP.

This public notice concerns activities that may affect historic properties, activities that are located in the 100-year floodplain, and critical actions within the 500-year floodplain or projects that may affect wetland areas. Such activities may adversely affect a historic property, floodplain or wetland, or may result in continuing vulnerability to flood damage.

Presidential Executive Orders 11988 and 11990 require that all federal actions in or affecting the floodplain or wetlands be reviewed for opportunities to relocate, and evaluated for social, economic, historical, environmental, legal, and, safety considerations.  Where there is no opportunity to relocate, FEMA is required to undertake a detailed review to determine what measures can be taken to minimize future damages.  The public is invited to participate in the process of identifying alternatives and analyzing their impacts through this notification.

FEMA has determined that for certain types of facilities there are normally no alternatives to restoration in the floodplain/wetland.  These are facilities that meet all of the following criteria: 1) FEMA’s estimate of the cost of repairs is less than 50-percent of the cost to replace the entire facility, and is less than $100,000;  2) the facility is not located in a floodway; 3) the facility has not sustained major structural damage in a previous presidentially declared flooding disaster or emergency; and 4) the facility is not critical (e.g., the facility is not a hospital, generating plant, emergency operations center, or a facility that contains dangerous materials). FEMA intends to provide assistance for emergency protective measures and debris removal only during this declaration.

For routine activities, this will be the only public notice provided.  Other activities and those involving facilities that do not meet the four criteria are required to undergo more detailed review, including study of alternate locations.  Subsequent public notices regarding such projects will be published if necessary, as more specific information becomes available.

In many cases, an applicant may have started facility restoration prior to federal involvement.  Even if the facility must undergo detailed review and analysis of alternate locations, FEMA will fund eligible restoration at the original location if the facility is functionally dependent on its floodplain location (e.g., bridges, docks, and, piers), or the project facilitates an open space use, or the facility is an integral part of a larger network that is impractical or uneconomical to relocate, such as a road.  In such cases, FEMA must also examine the possible effects of not restoring the facility, minimize floodplain/wetland impacts, and determine both that an overriding public need for the facility clearly outweighs the Executive Order requirements to avoid the floodplain/wetland, and that the site is the only practicable alternative.  State of Louisiana and local officials will confirm to FEMA that proposed actions comply with all applicable state and local floodplain management and wetland protection requirements.

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to take into account the effects of their undertakings on historic properties.  Those actions or activities affecting buildings, structures, districts or objects 50 years or older or that affect archeological sites or undisturbed ground will require further review to determine if the property is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (Register).  If the property is determined to be eligible for the Register, and FEMA’s undertaking will adversely affect it, FEMA will provide additional public notices.  For historic properties not adversely affected by FEMA’s undertaking, this will be the only public notice.

As noted, this may be the only public notice regarding the above-described actions under the PA programs.  Interested persons may obtain information about these actions or a specific project by writing to Jerame Cramer, Environmental and Historic Preservation Program Lead, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Louisiana Integration and Recovery Office, 1500 Main Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, or by calling (504)-247-7771 or fema-liro-ehp-pa@fema.dhs.gov. Comments should be sent in writing within 15 days of the date of this notice.