Greater New Orleans (GNO) Infrastructure Projects

Public Information and Outreach

Public Involvement Process for the Alternative Arrangements under NEPA

FEMA will continue to provide opportunities for stakeholders to become involved in the Alternative Arrangements environmental review process through regular outreach mechanisms. An example of these mechanisms is meetings with the applicant and local officials to explain the Public Assistance (PA) Program requirements, including environmental and historic preservation compliance requirements and related environmental, social, economic, cultural and historic consequences.  Other existing venues for the involvement of stakeholders will be identified and used to the extent practical.  Public input will be used to further develop appropriate outreach mechanisms best suited to assess the potential for impacts to the human environment from the critical physical infrastructure projects required to restore safe and healthful conditions for the repopulation of the New Orleans area.

Applicants must have a public involvement plan.  The amount of public involvement will vary by project and applicant.  Adequate public involvement is determined by various factors which include but are not limited to size of population affected, dollar amount of project, geographic area size, and potential for controversy.  While the applicant is responsible for public involvement, FEMA is responsible for ensuring appropriate public involvement under NEPA.  Alternative Arrangements Projects will be reviewed for NEPA Compliance prior to approval.  If needed, FEMA can provide assistance for designing and implementing a public involvement program.

FEMA is using public involvement strategies that take into consideration the nature of that project and the likely stakeholders that would have an interest in or be affected by those projects.  Such strategies include addressing national, state and local media; notifying groups linked to the various types of infrastructure; and involving various civic, ethnic and religious groups, etc.  When an action also requires public involvement to satisfy requirements under other federal laws, regulations, or Executive Orders, including the National Historic Preservation Act and Executive Order 11988, Floodplains, FEMA will work to integrate those public involvement requirements into the Alternative Arrangements public involvement process.

Last Modified: Friday, 19-Oct-2007 12:33:53 EDT