Project Impact: Building Disaster Resistant Communities

Under Public Law 105-276, 112 Stat. 2461, Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Appropriation Act, 1999, we are issuing today a Request for Application (RFA) to implement a $25 million grant program that is limited to Project Impact communities and to States with Project Impact communities. Community grants. The community grant is available to designated Project Impact communities to facilitate the development and implementation of a comprehensive, long-term mitigation strategy through collaboration with private sector and non-profit organizations, and with local, State and Federal government partners. Within this framework, the community grant is to fund prevention projects that result in long-term reductions in property damage as well as contribute to the sustainability of the partnership. State grants. The State grant is available to States with a Project Impact community through the FEMA Performance Partnership Agreement/ Cooperative Agreement process for activities that directly support Project Impact communities. Who is eligible for grants? The community that a State has designated, with FEMA concurrence, as a Project Impact community is eligible for a community grant. Each State with a Project Impact community is eligible for a state grant. What are mitigation measures? Mitigation measures generally are those projects and actions that reduce the potential losses to life and property from natural hazard events in a permanent or long-term manner. Communities will categorize mitigation projects as: (1) Mitigation for existing structures; (2) Mitigation of existing infrastructure, utility facilities, and transportation systems that are publicly owned and operated on a non-profit basis; (3) Adoption of policies or practices for mitigation in existing structures, development or redevelopment; (4) Activities that lead to building or sustaining public/private partnerships, or that support public awareness of mitigation; (5) Hazard identification and risk assessment; (6) Mitigation of new construction; and (7) Personnel support. What is the process for applying? For designated community assistance, communities must submit a grant application package to FEMA. FEMA regions will work with the communities to complete this application package. The community must submit the application to the FEMA Regional Director on or before March 15, 1999. For State funding assistance, the State with a Project Impact community must submit a letter or memorandum to the Regional Director indicating its desire for funds to support the Project Impact community by convening an inclusive forum of State agencies for the purpose of developing an implementation strategy and commitment documents. This document will delineate comprehensive integration of mitigation in State agencies' daily operations. Additionally, the State should agree to coordinate and communicate with FEMA regions on Project Impact activities, meetings, etc. What criteria will FEMA apply to grant applications? For a designated

community, we will review and negotiate with the local jurisdiction to determine whether the proposed activities would: (1) Reduce the likelihood of future disaster costs under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and (2) help sustain the community's momentum in broad-based mitigation efforts. We describe activities that the community may pursue in the previous section entitled ``What are mitigation measures.'' A State with a Project Impact community must agree to use the funds in direct support of the Project Impact community and to convene statewide support for comprehensive hazard mitigation. For example, a State may use the FEMA funding to support Project Impact communities: • To fund State activities in direct support of Project Impact communities such as travel, costs associated with logistics and meetings, and staff support; • To fund State travel costs to FEMA Project Impact meetings; • To fund training of State officials supporting Project Impact; • To provide mini-grants to Project Impact communities to augment or expedite Project Impact activities; • To fund travel of local community officials to other communities, state meetings or national conferences at State request to share Project Impact information; • To fund State costs in information development and dissemination in support of Project Impact; • To fund development of training packages for State and local officials; • To fund expert, short-term technical assistance support to Project Impact communities.

Dated: February 4, 1999. Michael J. Armstrong, Associate Director, Mitigation Directorate. [FR Doc. 99-3639 Filed 2-12-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6718-04-P