ICYMI -- FEMA ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY-DRIVEN RELOCATION PROGRAM, SHARES
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20221202/icymi-fema-announces-community-driven-relocation-program-shares-additional]


Release Date: 
十二月 2, 2022 

WASHINGTON -- Earlier this week, the Biden-Harris administration
announced
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20221130/biden-harris-administration-makes-135-million-commitment-support-relocation]
the launch of a new Voluntary Community-Driven Relocation program, led
by the Department of the Interior, to assist tribal communities
severely impacted by climate-related environmental threats.

Through investments from President Joseph R. Biden’s Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, the Department of the
Interior is committing $115 million for 11 severely impacted tribes to
advance relocation efforts and adaptation planning. Additional support
for relocation will be provided by FEMA and the Denali Commission.
[https://www.denali.gov/]

This announcement is part of larger efforts being undertaken by the
Community-Driven Relocation Subcommittee
[https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/01/fact-sheet-10-ways-the-biden-harris-administration-is-making-america-resilient-to-climate-change/]
as part of the White House National Climate Task Force, which the
White House launched in August 2022. This Interagency Subcommittee is
co-led by FEMA and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).

“Now more than ever, communities across the nation are making, or
have already made, the tough decision to seek higher ground and
relocate away from harm’s way,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne
Criswell. “As climate change continues to displace people, FEMA,
alongside our federal partners, will continue to use every tool at our
disposal, including community-driven relocation, to make all
communities more resilient, especially those that have been
historically underserved.”

COMMUNITY-DRIVEN RELOCATION SUBCOMMITTEE

The phrase “community-driven relocation” is deliberate. The intent
is to collectively reinforce that it is essential for the
consideration or implementation of planned relocation projects to be
grounded in a community’s ability to define and determine their
future.

The interagency Community-Driven Relocation Subcommittee aims to
bridge the gap between communities seeking assistance with relocation
and the resources available across the federal government. Within the
subcommittee, there is representation from the White House and 14
federal agencies.

FEMA MITIGATION GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR RELOCATION PROJECTS

FEMA will continue to provide communities with appropriate support to
facilitate their relocation priorities. To date, FEMA mitigation grant
funds can support relocations through multiple funding streams. This
includes Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA)
[https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation] grant programs through
buyouts of individual properties, relocation of critical facilities,
and in a few cases includes the movement of entire communities. 
Multiple FEMA programs can be leveraged for relocation funding.

Approximately $17.7 million has been provided, or is in the process of
being provided, to assist the Newtok Village, the Native Village of
Napakiak, and Quinault Indian Nation in their efforts to acquire,
demolish and build new infrastructure out of harm’s way. These
projects were funded with grants from the following three programs
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Community
[https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/building-resilient-infrastructure-communities/after-apply/fy-2020-subapplication-status],
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
[https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/hazard-mitigation] and a 2019
sunset grant program known as Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program.  In
addition, through Legislative Pre-Disaster Mitigation
[https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/fiscal-year-2022-pre-disaster-mitigation-congressional-community-projects]
Community, the Quinault Indian Nation received a Congressional
appropriation of $1.4 million.

A fact sheet summarizing these projects and more information about
FEMA’s efforts to support community-driven relocation can be found
here
[https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/fema-efforts-advancing-community-driven-relocation].