JOINT FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL
PUBLIC NOTICE
April 29, 2021
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Florida Division of Emergency Management have received the following application for Federal grant funding. Final notice is hereby given of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) consideration to provide funding in the form of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Funds will be provided in accordance with Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93-288, as amended.
Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), federal actions must be reviewed and evaluated for feasible alternatives and for social, economic, historic, environmental, legal, and safety considerations. Under Executive Order (EO) 11988 and EO 11990 FEMA is required to consider alternatives to and to provide public notice of any proposed actions in or affecting floodplains or wetlands. EO 12898 also requires FEMA to provide the opportunity for public participation in the planning process and to consider potential impacts to minority or low-income populations.
Funding for the proposed project will be conditional upon compliance with all applicable federal, tribal, state and local laws, regulations, floodplain standards, permit requirements and conditions.
Applicant:
City of Marianna
Project Title:
HMGP-4399-332-City of Marianna Wastewater Collection System Hardening
Location of Proposed Work:
The project location will include individual lift stations city-wide, the wastewater treatment plant, Hillcrest Road and West Manor access roads.
Proposed Work and Purpose:
In 2018 Hurricane Michael swept across the City of Marianna with high wind speeds up to 102 mph. The City of Marianna experienced a multitude of impacts caused by the strong winds, including downed trees and power lines, damage to homes and destroyed critical infrastructure. The City of Marianna’s wastewater collection and transmission system experienced widespread power outages and damage to various sewer lift stations during the event.
The proposed scope of work offers a higher level of protection by ensuring city-wide conveyance of wastewater and mitigating against wind-borne debris. The proposed scope of work is divided into 5 portions:
- Enhance the City of Marianna Wastewater Treatment Plant piping with steel pipes.
- Pave Hillcrest Road and West Manor access roads
- Install emergency generators and SCADA at five larger lift stations
- Purchase five portable diesel generators and install receptacles to serve 13 lift stations
- Purchase two portable generators and install receptacles to serve six lift stations
Project Alternatives:
The alternatives to the project that have been and will be considered are 1) the no action alternative and 2) install permanent diesel pumps at 13 lift stations, install 6 permanent generators for smaller lift stations, and purchase 1 portable generator to provide energy to 5 larger lift stations in the event of a power outage. These alternatives to the proposed project are not viable because under Alternative 1) does not reduce the wastewater conveyance system’s vulnerability to power outages and wind born debris in future disaster events; and Alternative 2) is not economically feasible and therefore not practicable.
Comment Period:
Comments are solicited from the public; local, state or federal agencies; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed project. The comments should be made in writing and addressed to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Mitigation, 2555 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100. These are due within 15 days of this notice May 14, 2021. The State will forward comments to applicable regulatory agencies as needed. Interested persons may submit comments, obtain more detailed information about the proposed action, or request a copy of the findings by contacting:
Jim Dean 850-482-4353
The City of Marianna jdean@mariannafl.city
Cary Helmuth, State Lead Environmental Specialist (850) 815-4514
Florida Division of Emergency Management Cary.Helmuth@em.myflorida.com