Georgia Receives $2,163,808 to Assist in Pre-Disaster Mitigation Projects
Homeland Security Begins Distribution Of Grant Funds For Pre-Disaster Mitigation Projects
Release Date: April 8, 2004
Release Number: R4-04-070
ATLANTA, Ga. -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, announced today the release of $26 million in Pre-Disaster Mitigation Competitive (PDM-C) Grant Program funds to states, territories, and federally recognized tribes for pre-disaster mitigation activities. The grant program is a Presidential initiative, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for pre-disaster mitigation planning and projects primarily addressing natural hazards.
“President Bush recognizes the great importance that mitigation is an essential step in reducing the loss of life and property to natural disasters,” said Brown. “States and localities are critical leaders in disaster reduction, and the Department of Homeland Security is committed to providing our partners with the tools they need to be prepared.”
The $2,163,808 grant is to Georgia for the following projects, the total cost of which is $2,885,077.
- A grant of $146,308 to the consolidated government of Augusta-Richmond County, which calls for the acquisition and demolition of 13 repeatedly flooded dwellings near Rocky Creek in the Hollywood subdivision. The cleared land will become permanent open space to provide a buffer against future flooding to protect the remaining residents of the area.
- An award of $2,017,500 to the state to help develop hazard mitigation planning in 104 counties. The work calls for the counties to identify their vulnerability to natural hazards and develop multi-jurisdictional plans to reduce future losses.
The fiscal year 2003 budget provided $150 million under the National Pre-Disaster Mitigation Fund to initiate a competitive grant program for pre-disaster mitigation activities, and has moved forward since Congress recently reauthorized the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program this past January. The intent of the PDM-C grant program is to provide a consistent source of funding to state, tribal, and local governments for pre-disaster mitigation planning and projects. Funding these plans and projects reduces overall risks to the
population and structures, while also reducing reliance on funding from actual disaster declarations.
States, territories, tribes, and local governments submitted over 450-mitigation project and planning sub-applications for consideration under the PDM-C grant program. To fulfill the competitive requirements of the
program and to select the most cost-effective applications, all applications were reviewed for their eligibility and completeness, and then ranked and evaluated by a competitive national evaluation panel. The national evaluation process was rigorous in design and implementation, ensuring that all applications competed fairly and that the most cost-effective applications were recommended for selection.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA’s continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Thursday, 08-Apr-2004 09:52:25