DR-4782-KY Public Notice 001

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) hereby gives notice to the public of its intent to reimburse eligible applicants for eligible costs to repair or replace facilities damaged by the Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, and Mudslides occurring April 2^nd, 2024.  This notice applies to the Individual Assistance (IA) 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.

Under a major disaster declaration FEMA-4782-DR-KY signed by the President on May 22^nd, 2024, the following counties have been designated adversely affected by the disaster and eligible for IA:  Boyd, Carter, Fayette, Greenup, Henry, Jefferson, Jessamine, Mason, Oldham, Union, and Whitley Counties. Additional counties may be designated at a later date without further public notice.  The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is available statewide. 

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 the historic property and floodplain or wetland 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 be 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 may be taken to minimize future damages.  The public is invited to participate in the process of identifying alternatives and analyzing their impacts.

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.

FEMA intends to provide IA program funding for disaster-related emergency housing.  These actions may adversely affect a floodplain or wetland or may result in continuing vulnerability to floods.  These actions may include repair, restoration, or construction of housing or private bridges, purchase and placement of travel trailers or manufactured housing units, or repair of structures as minimum protective measures.  This will be the only public notice concerning these actions.

FEMA also intends to provide HMGP funding to the Commonwealth of Kentucky 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 effect 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 the 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 IA and HMGP programs. Interested persons may obtain information about these actions or a specific project by writing to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Joint Field Office, 657 Chamberlin Avenue, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 or FEMA-R4EHP@fema.dhs.gov . Comments should be sent in writing to Craig Levy Sr, Federal Coordinating Officer, at the above address within 15 days of the date of this notice.