The grant opportunity comes through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), and follows the Federally declared disaster for the December 2007 Floods/Severe Storms(DR-1734). The grant provides technical and financial assistance to States and local governments for cost-effective pre-disaster hazard mitigation activities. These activities reduce injuries, loss of life, and damage and destruction of property. FEMA provides grants to States and Federally recognized Indian tribal governments that, in turn, provide sub-grants to local governments (to include Indian Tribal governments) for mitigation activities such as planning and the implementation of projects identified through the evaluation of natural hazards. The grant requires a 12.5% local match.
A 12.5% local match has been provided via 'in-kind' services, to include jurisdiction employee time allocated to plan development. Each Plan addresses the natural hazards to which the County is vulnerable (e.g. earthquakes, floods, volcanic, wind storm, tsunami, etc.) and outlines a strategy for each jurisdiction to mitigate the effects of those hazards. The 44 CFR Part 201.6 Hazard Mitigation Planning, establishes requirements for state, tribal, and local hazard mitigation planning. All jurisdictions must have a FEMA-approved and locally adopted Plan in order to be eligible for certain future mitigation funding.
