FEMA REGION III, State of West Virginia and Local Entities Celebrate 16-home Buy-out In Project Impact Community 

Release Date: November 17, 1999
Release Number: R3-99-WV1118

Philadelphia, PA, Nov 17, 1999-- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that nearly $1.3 million in hazard mitigation funds has been made available to help reduce the risk of future flood losses in the town of Milton, Cabell County. The funds, which are provided through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), will be used to acquire 16 flood-prone homes. The town will acquire and demolish the properties, and dedicate the land as open space as a flood-control measure.

"Hazard mitigation is a long-term process that seeks permanent solutions to the problem of repeated flooding," said FEMA Region III Director Rita Calvan. "I commend the citizens and leaders of Milton for taking this important step toward making their community safe from future floods."

The HMGP aims to lessen future flood losses by several means, including the acquisition of flood-prone homes from willing sellers. Federal funds pay for 75 percent of the HMGP project cost with 25 percent coming from non-federal funds. In the case of the Milton project, FEMA will provide a federal share of $995,362, which includes administrative costs.

The HMGP funding for the Milton project became available because of flooding that affected West Virginia in the spring of 1997. To date, FEMA has approved nearly $15 million in federal mitigation funds to protect West Virginians from future floods. Statewide, this represents acquisition of 300 properties, elevation of twenty-seven structures and relocation of two.

Cabell County is one of two Project Impact communities in West Virginia. Project Impact: Building a Disaster Resistant Community, is FEMA's national initiative dedicated to changing the way America deals with disasters. While the HMGP supports mitigation projects after a disaster, Project Impact encourages communities to take mitigation measures before disaster strikes.

Project Impact was launched by FEMA in October 1997 to urge citizens, government officials and the business community to take actions to make their communities more disaster-resistant. The other Project Impact community in West Virginia is Tucker and Randolph Counties.

Last Modified: Friday, 09-Jan-2004 17:05:19