DR-4650-WA EHP Initial Notice

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) hereby gives notice to the public of its intent to reimburse eligible applicants for eligible costs to repair and/or replace facilities damaged by severe winter storms, snowstorms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides beginning on December 26, 2021, through and including January 15, 2022, in the State of Washington. This notice applies to the Public Assistance (PA) and Hazard Mitigation Grant (HMGP) programs implemented under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207. See, Disaster Federal Register Notices | FEMA.gov.

Under a major disaster declaration (FEMA-4650 DR-WA) signed by the President on March 29, 2022, and amended May 17 2022, the following counties and Tribes as being designated adversely affected by the disaster and eligible for Public Assistance: Chelan, Clallam, Cowlitz, Franklin, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Skagit, Skamania, Thurston, Okanogan and Wahkiakum Counties and the Skokomish Indian Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation, Squaxin Island Tribe of the Squaxin Island Reservation, Hoh Indian Tribe, Nisqually Indian Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe. Additionally, Chelan County is authorized for snow assistance under the Public Assistance program for any continuous 48-hour period during or proximate to the incident period. Additional counties may be designated later. All counties in the State of Washington are eligible for HMGP.

Likewise, the cost sharing provision of this major disaster declaration is amended. Federal funds for Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance. Hazard Mitigation, and Other Needs Assistance under the Individuals and Households Program, if such programs are authorized, shall be not less than 90 percent of total eligible costs. This cost share is effective as of the date of the President’s major disaster declaration. See, 4650-DR-WA Amendment 004 | FEMA.gov

This public notice concerns activities that may affect historic properties, activities that are located in or affect wetland areas or the 100-year floodplain, and critical actions within the 500-year floodplain. Such activities may adversely affect historic properties, floodplains, and wetlands, 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 the restoration of these facilities to their pre-disaster condition, except those certain measures to mitigate the effects of future flooding or other hazards may be included in the work. For example, a bridge or culvert restoration may include a larger waterway opening to decrease the risk of future washouts.

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 before 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 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. The State of Washington and local officials will confirm to FEMA that proposed actions comply with all applicable state and local floodplain management and wetland protection requirements.

FEMA also intends to provide HMGP funding to the State of Washington to mitigate future disaster damages. These projects may include construction of new facilities, modification of existing, undamaged facilities, relocation of facilities out of floodplains, demolition of structures, or other types of projects to mitigate future disaster damages. In the course of developing project proposals, subsequent public notices will be published, if necessary, as more specific information becomes available.

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 a 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 and HMGP programs. Interested persons may obtain information about these actions or a specific project by writing to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region 10, 130 228th Street SW, Bothell, Washington 98021-9796 or by email to FEMA-R10-EHP-Comments@fema.dhs.gov. Comments should be directed to Science Kilner, Regional Environmental Officer, within 15 days of the date of this notice.