PHILADELPHIA-- FEMA Region 3 and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are proud to announce the approval of Pennsylvania’s 2023-2028 Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP). The state Hazard Mitigation Plan outlines risks and vulnerabilities faced by Pennsylvanians and offers ideas and recommendations for protecting and improving resilience in the state.
With this update, Pennsylvania continues their designation as an ‘enhanced state’ meaning that their hazard mitigation program goes above and beyond FEMA’s requirements and makes the Commonwealth eligible for additional funding after a disaster.
What’s New
The plan identifies seven new objectives to guide mitigation actions. These include flood protection, climate change, pandemic and infectious disease, substance use disorder and an increased focus on equity when it comes to historically underserved and marginalized populations.
Some of the new actions outlined in the plan include floodproofing state-owned buildings, developing affordable housing in lower income communities that can withstand disasters and making sure critical government facilities have back-up systems in place.
This year, Pennsylvania increased state agency participation in the planning process by 71% compared to the 2018 plan. This increased has led to a more integrated plan and was a result of focused meetings on eight sectors including Emergency Management, Economic Development, Housing, Health and Social Services among others.
Opening the Door to FEMA Funding
By developing and adopting the State Hazard Mitigation Plan, Pennsylvania communities are now eligible to receive certain types of FEMA assistance, such as Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grants, Public Assistance funds, and High Hazard Potential Dam (HHPD) funding. This allows federal funds to be directed to Pennsylvania to protect people, their property, and the environment.
Within the plan, many projects are identified to increase resiliency in the Commonwealth. These include hazard mitigation activities such as flood-proofing structures, relocating flood-prone residences, elevating homes, and home buyouts.
Some examples of completed or ongoing projects that were funded through FEMA over the past five years include:
- Home Elevations in Yardley Borough (Bucks County): Yardley Borough received $2.9 million from FEMA to complete a $3 million project which will elevate 8 homes along the Delaware River. These homes have experienced repetitive flooding over the years and will be elevated off their current foundation to protect them from future flooding.
- Bridgeville Borough Home Acquisitions and Demolitions (Allegheny County): Bridgeville Borough was awarded $927,150 from FEMA to complete home buyouts in the borough. By demolishing these homes and creating open space, it reduces flood risk in the borough. Eight properties were included in this project which is almost complete.
- Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority Closure Project: Luzerne County received $813,900 from FEMA to improve their flood protection system along the Wyoming Valley Levee. Four closures along the levee were eliminated and three were modified.
A comprehensive hazard mitigation plan makes projects like these possible.
Connecting the Dots to FEMA Funding
In their new plan, Pennsylvania is committed to providing county and local partners with training opportunities to learn more about FEMA’s grant programs and the application process. This includes FEMA’s Plan Implementation & Grants Development (PIGD) workshops which have been held across the Commonwealth over the last two years and will become a staple moving forward. These workshops are a great way for municipalities to learn how to create more competitive applications in the future.
“I am proud of the work that Pennsylvania and their many partners have put into updating this Hazard Mitigation Plan,” said FEMA Region 3 Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. “It is great to see the Commonwealth is committed to educating their county and local partners on how to apply for and receive FEMA grants that will fund resiliency projects across Pennsylvania. We look forward to working with the Commonwealth over the next five years to implement this plan.”
“Understanding our evolving risks and hazards is critical to protecting our residents across the state and lessening the impacts from future disasters,” said Pennsylvania Emergency Management Director Randy Padfield. “I am extremely proud of all the work our team and the other state agency partners invested in developing a such a comprehensive plan that can be utilized to guide our future efforts in reducing risks across the Commonwealth.”
State Hazard Mitigation Plans are updated every five years. This current plan will be due for an update in 2028.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
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