DR-4353-CA Public Notice 003

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) intends to provide federal financial assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to the Kern County Fire Department (KCFD) in Kern County, California, to provide redundant power supply at select fire stations throughout the county. The proposed action would mitigate impacts on critical infrastructure through the installation of 33 new propane-fueled generators. Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management) and FEMA’s implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides interested parties with a notice of its intent to carry out an action affecting a floodplain.

The proposed action would occur at 32 fire stations and the KCFD Headquarters. The purpose of the proposed action is to improve the reliability and resiliency of fire stations, which are critical infrastructure, by installing propane-fueled generators to be used during periods of power interruption. Four of the fire stations are in the 100-year floodplain. The four project areas located in the 100-year floodplain are depicted on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Numbers 06029C3295E, 06029C0850E, 06029C2325E, and 06029C0915E, effective date September 26, 2008. The FIRMs show that the project areas lie within Zones A and AO, an area that has a 1-percent probability of flooding every year and where predicted floodwater elevations have been established.

Generators installed at these locations would be elevated to the 100-year floodplain with 48-inch generator stands. The remaining project areas are located in Zone X, an area with 0.2-percent chance flooding every year.

Maps of the project areas and their locations within the floodplain are available for public inspection. All parties interested in receiving a copy of the maps should contact the FEMA Region IX Environmental Officer at the address or phone number below.

Additional information about FEMA’s proposed action may be obtained by writing the FEMA Region IX Environmental Officer at FEMA, 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200, Oakland, California 94607, or fema-rix-ehp-documents@fema.dhs.gov, or calling (510) 627-7027. All requests should be received no later than 15 days after the publication of this notice.