FEMA Approves Over $1 Million In Planning Grants For Nine Louisiana Parishes 

Release Date: May 8, 2007
Release Number: 1603-633

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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently approved funding to update existing hazard mitigation plans in nine Louisiana parishes – Lincoln, St. James, Union, St. Martin, Livingston, Ascension, Avoyelles, East Feliciana and West Feliciana.

The more than $1 million in grant monies comes from FEMA’s Expanded Mitigation Strategies Planning Grant Pilot. The program allows jurisdictions with FEMA-approved local hazard mitigation plans in place by Oct. 29, 2006, to apply for up to $150,000 to update their local mitigation plans. These updates will reduce the potential loss of life and property in future disasters. After submitting proposed updates, the nine parishes qualified for grants worth $112,500 each.

Six parishes, Lincoln, St. James, Union, Livingston, Ascension and East Feliciana, have earmarked funds to amend their current approved hazard mitigation plans and scope out hazard mitigation projects, especially those resulting from the effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita and any subsequent hazard events. Each parish will compile lists of properties that have flooding and drainage problems, are identified as severe repetitive loss properties or are in need of hardening and/or elevating.

St. Martin Parish’s hazard mitigation plan will incorporate new community hazard and damage data, which will include flood inundation areas from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Advisory Base Flood Elevations, levee condition data and base mapping for flood prone areas.

"Despite having an existing FEMA-approved local hazard mitigation plan, St. Martin Parish recognizes the need to begin updating its current plan," said Larry J. Landry, Sr., assistant director of the Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness for St. Martin Parish. "The funding made available by FEMA allows us to easily meet the mandated timeline requirements for updates to ensure a thorough and comprehensive revision of our existing plan."

To update its plan, Avoyelles Parish will assess a number of hazard mitigation projects. This scoping process will enable the parish to identify any new hazards and consider projects related to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The updates will include properties in areas with flooding problems, including all repetitive loss areas in the parish, as well as critical facilities in need of strengthening.

West Feliciana Parish, after scoping projects arising after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, will review them for design and engineering feasibility, environmental and cultural resource consideration, benefit cost analysis and cost estimation.

"The parish appreciates the grant money and welcomes the opportunity to take a positive approach in being proactive in implementing mitigation measures to lessen damages from future disasters," said West Feliciana Parish President Bert Babers.

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration, to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 08-May-2007 16:31:27