DENVER – FEMA approved more than $1.6 million in Hazard Mitigation funding for severe winter storm damage in North Dakota. This funding is being authorized under Section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.
This grant will fund eligible costs and activities of Phase III slope stabilization at the University of Mary in Bismarck. The proposed project mitigation activity will consist of a combination of slope re-grading and ground water control. The slope will be graded to create ridges and valleys perpendicular to the bluff to mimic the natural terrain of the area. The valley areas will allow groundwater to exit the bluff in a controlled manner and flow in designated channels to the river. Ridge areas will be constructed with chimney drains to allow collection and discharge of groundwater to the designated flow channels. This will prevent the seeps from exiting the face of the slope and saturating the soils at the slope base.
FEMA is providing 75 percent of the project costs, a total of $1,637,212.50. Funding was provided through FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program (PDM).
This is the final PDM project to be funded by FEMA Region 8. PDM was replaced by the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant Program (BRIC). BRIC supports states, local communities, tribes, and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. The goal is to reduce overall risk to the population and structures from future hazard events, while also reducing reliance on federal funding in future disasters.
Additional information about FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation program can be found at https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation .