FEMA’s Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program makes federal funds available through the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program to states, local communities, tribes, and territories (SLTTs) to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA encourages projects to include nature-based solutions.
For Fiscal Year 2020, one of the projects receiving funding was the Lake Lery Marsh Creation and Rim Restoration Phase III Project in Saint Bernard Parish, LA. The project proposes to counteract further degradation by establishing 2.42 miles of permanent lake rim along the northern perimeter of the project area and restoring 401.2 acres of broken marsh. The total project cost is $19 million and will impact nearly 500 repetitively damaged buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program that have incurred roughly 10,000 claims totaling $1.2 billion in paid losses. This project will provide persistent protection to those properties from future flooding events.