Hazard Mitigation Grants Technical Assistance Session Middlesex County, NJ December 7, 2011
Outline Purpose of Hazard Mitigation Hazard Mitigation Projects Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs Using Risk MAP Data New Jersey Coastal Flood Study Community Resilience and Sustainability Resources 2
Purpose of Hazard Mitigation To reduce the risk of experiencing damage and disruption as a result of natural hazards. Hazard mitigation plans are based on an analysis of risk and propose the implementation of mitigation projects or actions to reduce risk. Question: Who has been involved in the development of a hazard mitigation plan? 3
Hazard Mitigation Projects Are identified in State and local hazard mitigation plans Provide the best bang for your buck (are cost-effective) Are technically feasible and provide long-term solutions to a problem Have no adverse effects on the environment Are prioritized using the most current risk information (such as Risk MAP products and datasets) Can sometimes be funded by HMA Grants HMGP, PDM, FMA, SRL, RFC 4
HMA Programs Authorized by the Stafford Act HMGP grants available through State only after a Federal disaster declaration To provide opportunities to enact measures during reconstruction that will REDUCE the risk of loss and damage in the future PDM is a competitive program To provide opportunities to implement mitigation projects or planning in the absence of a disaster Authorized by National Flood Insurance Act To reduce or eliminate claims to the NFIP FMA funds projects or planning RFC funds projects for structures with one or more NFIP claims SRL funds projects for structures that have experienced severe repetitive losses 5
HMA Fundable Activities Activity HMGP PDM FMA RFC SRL Acquire & Demolish Acquire & Relocate Elevate Minor Flood Reduction Mitigation Planning Structural Retrofit Non-structural Retrofit Infrastructure Retrofit Safe Room Construction Soil Stabilization Wildfire Mitigation FMA, RFC, SRL only fund projects to mitigate losses due to flooding See HMA Guidance for complete list of eligible activities 6
Examples of Activities NOT Eligible for HMA Funding Projects that do not reduce risk Projects that do not solve a problem independently Preparedness activities or temporary measures (e.g., sandbags, portable generators) Measures that facilitate emergency response (e.g., evacuation road signs, interoperable communications equipment) Major flood control projects (e.g., dam, levee, floodwall, jetty) Beach nourishment or re-nourishment Activities that address only manmade hazards Projects for which some physical work has already occurred Projects that are needed because of negligence 7
HMA Subapplication SUBAPPLICATION is submitted by local government to State Eligible subapplicants For all HMA programs: State agencies, Indian tribal governments, or local governments For HMGP: also private non-profits that provide essential governmental type services PDM, FMA, SRL require local mitigation plan at time of application HMGP requires local mitigation plan at time of obligation of funds RFC does not require a local mitigation plan 8
HMA Application APPLICATION is submitted by State to FEMA Application includes subapplications from across the State All HMA programs require a State Mitigation Plan Updated NJ State Plan was approved April 2011 9
Applying for HMA funding Proposed project must Be consistent with State and local mitigation plans Address a problem that poses a significant risk to public health and safety Provide a long term solution to the problem Be feasible Have manageable maintenance requirements Have political support within the community Comply with applicable Federal and State environmental and historic preservation laws, regulations, and Executive Orders 10
Components of HMA subapplication Scope of Work (SOW) Mitigation Activity Description Hazard Information (History of Damages/Problem Description) Technical Information Environmental Information Cost Estimate / Budget BCA Includes management costs Quality Application Anticipated Timeframe Work Schedule SOW 11
Tips for HMA Project Application Provide DETAILS Problem description includes dates and amounts of previous damages Work schedule All phases of the task (survey, appraisal, legal offers, closing, permitting, demolition, site preparation, and maintenance) Budget Line item budget Indicate item, quantity, units of measurement Include management costs Scope of work: who, what, when, where, why, and how Structure being mitigated Flood Zone, date of construction, building use, construction and foundation information, square footage, loss of function impacts Potential impacts on natural and built environment 12
More Tips for HMA Project Application Include BACKUP DOCUMENTATION Documentation of the proposed costs (bid, cost estimating guide) Maps, diagrams, photos Commitment of matching funds or in-kind support Be ACCURATE Include and review the Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) Benefit Cost Ratio = Total Net Present Value of Benefits / Total Cost of the Project If Benefit Cost Ratio 1, project is cost effective Apply to HMA only for ELIGIBLE MITIGATION activities Preparedness and response activities are very important, but do not quality for mitigation funding Use best available data including Risk MAP data 13
Risk MAP data improve Planning and HMA Application Risk MAP and the Plan Risk MAP and HMA Application Plan must be updated every 5 Risk MAP provides years Risk MAP provides new data Plan must explain what new data are available for assessing risk Better data to justify need for mitigation projects Better data for estimating losses due to flooding 14
Risk MAP Data and the Plan Changes Since Last FIRM indicates Flood Depth Analysis Grid different areas in need of flood mitigation Use this to document changes in mitigation priorities indicates potential depth of flooding Use this to prioritize mitigation projects 15
Risk MAP and HMA Application Areas of Mitigation Interest Identifies community mitigation needs Can be used to better justify need for mitigation project 16
Risk MAP and HMA Application continued Flood Risk Assessment Data Flood Depth Analysis Grids Estimate projected loss for Identifies areas of greatest multiple flood scenarios rather than only for the 1 percent chance flood Identify where mitigation activities may produce the greatest return on investment Provide data to help screen for cost effectiveness of potential mitigation projects vulnerability to flood damage Can be used to better calculate the cost effectiveness of a project 17
New Jersey Coastal Flood Study 18
Coastal Flood Study Milestones Milestone Union County Middlesex County November 2011 November 2011 January 2012 January 2012 Coastal and Riverine Analysis Mid-2012 Mid-2012 Preliminary Flood Study June 2012 July 2012 Coastal Surge Study Coastal Overland Wave Analysis 19
Coastal Flood Study Will incorporate New Jersey Fair Housing Act (NJFHA) boundaries on DFIRM maps and in Flood Insurance Study (FIS) profiles Datum Conversion for Union County Elevation in NGVD 29 897.1 NGVD 29 New maps will use North Elevation in NAVD 88 896 NAVD 88 American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) Convert NGVD 29 elevation to NAVD 88 Conversion factors vary by location In Union County NAVD 88 = NGVD 29 1.1 feet 895.1 NGVD 29 20 894 NAVD 88
Hazard Mitigation and Sustainability Hazard mitigation can be integral to other community planning efforts Comprehensive planning, zoning, other plans for the location of development or redevelopment Capital improvements, subdivision regulations, stormwater management, other plans concerning structure or infrastructure design Continuity of operations plans Emergency response plans Smart Growth: Community character is not necessarily reduced when structures are elevated, a bridge or culvert is rebuilt to a higher level or protection National Disaster Recovery Framework (2011) says mitigation is integral to post-disaster recovery 21
Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Hazard mitigation reduces repeated costs to the community for Repairing damage Providing rescue Interruption in delivery of essential services Hazard mitigation facilitates disaster recovery Reduced damage and disruption A community that suffers less damage can recover from the effects of a natural hazard more quickly that one that is severely damaged Homes are habitable and business can resume more quickly 22
NJ Hazard Mitigation Plan Requirement Updated plan must identify mitigation project activity whether: Self-funded Projects such as Update ordinances or codes Revise maintenance protocols Public education and awareness Projects funded by non-fema Federal agencies, State agencies, private foundations... FEMA-funded since 2005 Plan provides Name of grant program Year funds awarded and total amount of funding Year project completed 23
Risk MAP & Sustainability Resources Risk MAP products and datasets NJ State Hazard Mitigation Officer Sgt. Robert Little New Jersey OEM P.O. Box 7068, River Road West Trenton, NJ 08628-0068 Phone: (609) 963-6963 Email: LPP4895@gw.njsp.org FY 11 HMA Unified Guidance http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/ hma/index.shtm FEMA publications on sustainability FEMA 364: Planning for a Sustainable Future FEMA P-798, Natural Hazards and Sustainability for Residential Buildings 24
Mitigation Planning & HMA Resources 25