September 3, 2021
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) hereby gives notice to the public of its intent to reimburse eligible applicants for eligible costs to repair and/or replace facilities damaged by a severe storm, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of June 7, 2021 through June 11, 2021. This notice applies to the Public Assistance (PA) and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs (HMGP) implemented under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206.
Under a major disaster declaration (FEMA-4613-DR-ND) signed by the President on September 1, 2021, the following counties have been designated adversely affected by the disaster and eligible for Public Assistance for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities:
Burke, Divide, Emmons, Grant, Kidder, LaMoure, Sioux, and Williams.
No counties have been designated as adversely affected by the disaster, and eligible for Individual Assistance (IA).
All jurisdictions in North Dakota are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
This public notice concerns activities that may affect historic properties, activities that are located in or affect wetland areas or the 100-year floodplain, and critical actions within the 500-year floodplain. Such activities may adversely affect the historic property and floodplain or wetland or may result in continuing vulnerability to flood damage.
Presidential Executive Orders 11988 and 11990 require that all federal actions in or affecting the floodplain or wetlands be reviewed for opportunities to relocate and evaluated for social, economic, historic, environmental, legal, and safety considerations. Where there is no opportunity to relocate, FEMA is required to undertake a detailed review to determine what measures may be taken to minimize future damages. The public is invited to participate in the process of identifying alternatives and analyzing their impacts.
FEMA also intends to provide HMGP funding to the State of North Dakota to mitigate future disaster damages. These projects may include construction of new facilities, modification of existing, undamaged facilities, relocation of facilities out of floodplains, demolition of structures, or other types of projects to mitigate future disaster damages. In the course of developing project proposals, subsequent public notices will be published, if necessary, as more specific information becomes available.
The National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to take into account the effect of their undertakings on historic properties. Those actions or activities affecting buildings, structures, districts or objects 50 years or older or that affect archeological sites or undisturbed ground will require further review to determine if the property is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (Register). If the property is determined to be eligible for the Register and FEMA’s undertaking will
adversely affect it, FEMA will provide additional public notices. For historic properties not adversely affected by FEMA’s undertaking, this will be the only public notice.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects the civil rights of persons with disabilities. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by the federal government, federal contractors, and by recipients of federal financial assistance. Any recipient or sub-recipient of federal funds is required to make their programs accessible to individuals with disabilities. Its protections apply to all programs and businesses that receive any federal funds. This applies to all elements of physical/architectural, programmatic, and communication accessibility in all services and activities conducted by or funded by FEMA. FEMA intends to comply with the Rehabilitation Act in all federally conducted and assisted programs in alignment with the principals of whole community inclusion and universal accessibility.
As noted, this may be the only public notice regarding the above-described actions under the PA and HMGP programs. Interested persons may obtain information about these actions or a specific project by writing to the Federal Emergency Management Agency – Region VIII EHP Office, Denver Federal Center, Box 25267, Denver, Colorado 80225-0267, or by email at FEMA-R8EHP@fema.dhs.gov. Please include in the subject line of the email “DR-4613-ND EHAD.” Comments should be sent in writing at the above address within 15 days of the date of this notice.