INITIAL PUBLIC NOTICE - California Earthquake Authority Brace & Bolt Program for Residential Seismic Retrofits
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INITIAL PUBLIC NOTICE
CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE AUTHORITY BRACE AND BOLT PROGRAM FOR RESIDENTIAL SEISMIC RETROFITS
CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE AUTHORITY
HMGP 4308-230-13 and 4344-102-75
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) proposes to provide federal financial assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) under CEA’s existing statewide Earthquake Brace and Bolt (EBB) program for residential seismic retrofits designed to reduce the likelihood of homes sliding off their foundations in the event of an earthquake. Given that some of the existing residential structures involved in this grant may be located within a floodplain. 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 actions in a floodplain.
The purpose of the proposed action is to reduce the likelihood of residential structures from sliding or toppling off their foundations in the event of an earthquake by bolting the home to its foundation and bracing its cripple walls. Observations from past major earthquakes have shown that wood-framed dwellings with flexible wood foundation walls and inadequate anchoring are vulnerable to damage from earthquake shaking. The CEA’s existing EBB program operates statewide, and the FEMA action could occur in any county within California. Typically, work would be completed around the perimeter in the crawl space of a residential structure, introducing bracing and/or bolting depending on the home’s foundation. Houses that typically qualify for EBB were constructed prior to 1979, have a raised continuous perimeter concrete foundation, and sit on level ground or a low-slope.
Interested persons may submit comments or obtain additional information about FEMA’s proposed action 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 September 9, 2019.
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