Hazard Mitigation: A Good Investment

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Hazard Mitigation A Good Investment

• Partners in Preparedness
• April 2009

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Todays Discussion

• What is Hazard Mitigation?
• Mitigation Grant Programs
• 75 to 100 percent funding available
• DR-1817/1825 HMGP
• How to Apply for
• Examples of effective mitigation

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Who is here today?

• Local Governments
• Cities, towns, counties.
• Special Purpose Districts
• Schools, fire, water, sewer, etc.
• Indian Tribes
• Private Non-Profit Organizations.
• Private Sector.

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Disasters happen
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Who is interested in

• Saving money
• Reducing emergency response costs?
• Reducing disaster-related property,
  infrastructure damage?
• Reducing repair costs?
• Reducing community disruption, recovering from
  disaster more quickly?
• Restarting government operations, social
  activities.
• Resuming economic activity.
• Restoring fabric of your community.

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What is Hazard Mitigation?
Any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate
the long-term risk to human life and property
from hazards. (44 CFR 201.2) Any mitigation
measure, project or action proposed to reduce the
risk of future damage, hardship, loss or
suffering from disasters. (44 CFR 206.431) Any
cost-effective measure which will reduce the
potential for damage to a facility from a
disaster event. (44 CFR 206.2)
Example Mitigation Activity
Home Elevation In Progress, Snoqualmie, WA
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Mitigation Saves

• Every 1 spent on mitigation saves society 4.
• FEMA mitigation grants 1993-2003 save (over 50
  yrs)
• 220 lives
• 4,700 injuries

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Examples of Mitigation

• Acquire, elevate or relocate building from
  floodplain.
• Seismically retrofit building.
• Construct new building to withstand known
  hazards.
• Move critical systems out of the reach of
  hazards.
• Brace or secure mechanical and electrical
  equipment.
• Tie-down PCs and affiliated equipment.
• Secure furniture, shelving, filing and storage
  cabinets, wall decorations, water coolers, fire
  extinguishers, etc., to prevent them from
  falling.
• Install latches on drawers and cabinet doors to
  prevent contents such as chemicals from spilling.

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FEMAs Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance
Initiative

• For all HM grant programs beginning June 2009.
• Concurrent application period (except HMGP)
• FY10 programs best guess June 2009 Nov/Dec
  2009.
• Applications can be considered by multiple
  programs.
• Quicker reviews grant awards by end of FY10.
• Funding dependent on program reauthorization,
  annual appropriation and any directive or
  restriction made with respect to funds.
• Unified program guidance
• http//www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id3309

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Mitigation grant programs

• Four pre-disaster
• One post-disaster

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Pre-Disaster Grant Programs

• Pre-Disaster Mitigation
• http//www.fema.gov/government/grant/pdm/index.sht
  m
• Flood Mitigation Assistance
• http//www.fema.gov/government/grant/fma/index.sht
  m
• Repetitive Flood Claims
• http//www.fema.gov/government/grant/rfc/index.sht
  m
• Severe Repetitive Loss
• http//www.fema.gov/government/grant/srl/index.sht
  m

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Pre-Disaster Mitigation

• Nationally competitive, available annually.
• Hazard mitigation plans / updates.
• Projects to reduce or prevent structural damage
  caused by disasters.
• Maximum federal grant
• 3 million project.
• 800,000 new mitigation plan
• 400,000 updated plan
• Cost share
• 75 federal, 25 applicant.
• Small, improverished communities 90 federal,
  10 applicant.

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Flood Mitigation Assistance

• Funded by National Flood Insurance Program.
• Project grant 228,600 federal.
• Planning grant - 21,000 federal
• Priority is reducing claims against National
  Flood Insurance Fund.
• Competitive statewide.
• Cost share
• 75 federal, 25 applicant.
• 90 federal, 10 applicant for severe repetitive
  loss properties in states w/ HM plans with SRL
  strategy.

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Repetitive Flood Claims

• Nationally competitive, available annually.
• Goal is to reduce claims on NFIP from properties
  with one or more flood insurance claim payments
  through
• Grant awards will be prioritized for projects
  that provide greatest benefit to National Flood
  Insurance Fund.
• Max award 1 million for minor localized flood
  reduction projects.
• Eligible for 100 federal grant state must
  certify that
• State and community cannot meet the required
  match. OR
• State or community do not have capacity to manage
  project activities.

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Severe Repetitive Loss

• Targets insured residential properties with
  multiple large flood insurance claims
• 61 verified properties statewide 1/09.
• Purpose Reduce NFIP claims through
• Acquisition, relocation, elevation, residential
  mitigation reconstruction.
• Flood-proofing of historic structures.
• Minor localized flood control projects.
• Property owners who refuse offer of mitigation
  will see their flood insurance premiums jump to
  actuarial cost.
• Cost share
• 90 federal available for state plans with SRL
  strategy.

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Pre-Disaster programs application timeline

• Dec. 1, 2008, 5 p.m. Applications due to State
  EMD.
• Dec. 2 18, 2008 State EMD staff reviews
  applications.
• Dec. 19, 2008, 859 p.m. State submit
  application to FEMA.
• Dec. 29, 2008 Jan. 26, 2009 FEMA conducts
  eligibility and completeness review of
  applications.
• Jan. 26, 2009 National evaluation and technical
  review begins.
• March 2009 FEMA announces results of national
  evaluation and which applications are selected
  for further review

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Post-Disaster Grant Program

• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
• http//www.fema.gov/government/grant/hmgp/index.sh
  tm

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Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

• Application period After disaster declaration.
• Funding based on percentage of federal Stafford
  Act expenditures for disaster for
• New, updated mitigation plans that meet criteria
  of 44 CFR Part 201.
• Projects that reduce or prevent disaster-caused
  structural damage.
• Depending upon available funds
• Available statewide or just within
  disaster-declared counties.
• Maximum grant may be capped.
• Cost shares
• 75 federal.
• 25 non-federal OR 12.5 state and 12.5
  applicant.

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HMGP Projects, Competition

• Projects can be anywhere in the state.
• Does not need to be tied to a declared disaster
  county.
• Must be connected to approved local hazard
  mitigation plan.
• Competitive process
• Stated need typically 5-10 times available funds.
• Funding based upon 20 of federal disaster
  expenditures.

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Funding DR-1817/1825 HMGP
30-day FEMA estimates DR-1817, DR-1825. Total
Fed/Non-Fed shares, based on Enhanced State Plan
/ 20 Federal Disaster Costs
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DR-1817/1825 Special Emphasis

• Initiatives to update expiring hazard mitigation
  plans
• Set-aside est. 50 pct. of planning funds.
• Prioritized by plan expiration date.
• Substantially damaged homes in floodplain.

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HMGP Application Caps

• Mitigation Project - 1.5 million
• New Mitigation Plan - 150,000
• Updated Mitigation Plan - 150,000

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HMGP Application Timeline

• Expedited Plan Letters of Intent Apr.10
• All Other Letters of Intent May 1
• Expedited Plan Applications May 29
• Project, Plan Applications Sept. 15
• State Submit Applications to FEMA
• DR-1817 January 30, 2010
• DR-1825 March 2, 2010

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General program information

• The following presents general information that
  typically applies to all mitigation grant
  programs.
• Please consult individual program guidance for
  specific information, restrictions.

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Types of Eligible Mitigation Projects

• Structural hazard control, including
• Debris basins, retention ponds.
• Erosion control.
• Minor flood, storm water control projects.
• Underground, re-route utilities.
• Retrofit structures to protect them from future
  damage
• Seismic.
• Floodproof.
• Elevate.
• Remove structures from hazard-prone areas
• Acquisition and demolition.
• Relocate structure outside hazard area.
• Other activities that protect structures, people
  from hazard events.

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Examples of Ineligible Projects

• Purchase of equipment including stand-alone
  emergency generators.
• Levees, dikes, and floodwalls.
• Dredging of waterways.
• New construction.
• Demolitionrebuild projects (w/ one program
  exception).
• Deferred maintenance.
• Projects / activities that do not protect lives
  and/or prevent property damage from a hazard
  event.

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Reasons for Ineligibility

• Applicant does not have FEMA-approved hazard
  mitigation plan.
• Local government, special district, Indian
  Tribes.
• Project is not cost-effective it wont save as
  much money as it costs
• Inadequate benefit-to-cost ratio (lt1.0).
• Project / facility is the responsibility of
  another federal agency / program
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resources
  Conservation Service.
• Federal Highways Administration.

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Reasons for Ineligibility 2

• Project is for facility repairs, deferred
  maintenance.
• When project is part of larger effort, no
  assurance provided the entire project will be
  completed.
• Applicant fails to meet National Environmental
  Policy Act (NEPA) requirement for public
  involvement.

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Eligible Applicants

• Local Governments
• Cities, towns, counties.
• Special Purpose Districts
• Schools, fire, water, sewer, etc.
• Indian Tribes
• Private Non-Profit Organizations
• Providing like-government services and operating
  essential facilities.

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Private Sector, Property Owner

• Can benefit from mitigation grant funding.
• Must be sponsored by eligible applicant.

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Project Applicants Must ...

• Participate and be in good standing in National
  Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) jurisdictions
  with land-use authority.
• Be compliant (or making progress toward
  compliance) with applicable Growth Management Act
  requirements, including Critical Areas regulation
  jurisdictions with land-use authority.
• Have adopted a FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation
  plan in order to apply for project (construction)
  grant funds.

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Program Restrictions

• Project must be cost effective cannot cost more
  than the value of anticipated damage reduction.
• Cannot fund projects that merely identify or
  analyze a hazard or a project.
• Mapping, studies, plans, etc.
• Cannot fund projects that have been implemented
  or completed.
• Mitigation grant programs cannot duplicate other
  federal programs.
• Must meet National Environmental Policy Act
  criteria.

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Project Eligibility Criteria

• Projects must
• Protect lives and reduce public risk.
• Address a repetitive problem.
• Be cost-effective not cost more than the
  anticipated value of reduction in damages,
  casualties.
• Provide the most practical, effective, and
  environmentally sound alternative.
• Contribute to long-term solution.
• Have documented support of community.

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Application process

• Letters of Intent provided to potentially
  eligible applicants statewide.
• Applicants submit Letters of Intent to State EMD.
• Applications sent to eligible applicants for
  potentially eligible projects.
• Applications submitted to State EMD.
• State EMD reviews applications for eligibility,
  cost effectiveness.
• State-local committee evaluates, scores
  applications.
• State EMD recommends prioritized projects to
  FEMA.
• FEMA reviews applications, provides funding.

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Why communities dont seek grants

• I dont have a project
• Have you looked in your hazard mitigation plan
  lately?
• I dont have the expertise
• Attend available training, ask for help.
• I dont have time
• Dont wait for program availability to develop
  project.
• I dont have a (name the hazard that caused the
  disaster) related project
• HMGP, PDM are all-hazard oriented.
• I cant compete with the larger jurisdictions
• Kalama, Anacortes, Hamilton, Pacific County
  received grants in national competition.

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Example Mitigation Projects

• Whats being funded right now
• Town of Hamilton, Pierce County, King County
  Acquisition of frequently flood damaged homes.
• City of Sumner, King and Snohomish Counties
  Elevation of flood-prone homes.
• City of Edmonds Seismic retrofit of 8 schools,
  community center.
• City of Seattle Seismic retrofit of community
  center/emergency shelter.
• City of Sumner Seismic retrofit of water tanks.
• City of Renton Seismic retrofit of fire station.

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A Flooded Community Becomes
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A Mitigation Success
Property acquisition project becomes a park for
all to enjoy!
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State of WashingtonLoss Avoidance StudiesNov.
2006 Dec. 2007 Floods
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Enhanced Plan Requirement

• The Enhanced Plan must document the system and
  strategy by which the State will conduct an
  assessment of the completed mitigation actions
  and include a record of the effectiveness (actual
  cost avoidance) of each mitigation action
• 44 CFR 201.5(b)(2)(iv)

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November 2006 Floods
Pineapple Express
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Opportunity!

• State has completed 600 acquisitions and
  elevations since mid 1990s.
• Many in most heavily impacted areas.
• However
• Most documentation gone or not available.
• Addresses for acquisitions could not be
  geo-coded.
• Decided to examine elevations.

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Studies Not Unique But

• Completed at DR-1671 / DR-1682 Joint Field Office
  for State by FEMA Mitigation staff (DAEs).
• Retired Army Corps of Engineers economist
• NFIP staff
• Flood engineer
• Examined elevations in two communities

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November 2006 Flood DisasterCommunities Studied
City of Snoqualmie
Rainier Manor Mobile Home Park, Sumner
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Rainier Manor Mobile Home Park
City of Sumner
Puyallup River
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Rainier Manors Situation

• Most of 77 lots in Special Flood Hazard Zone.
• 1995 flood substantially damaged 35 units.
• These units were replaced and elevated.
• Nov. 2006 flood levels based on USGS provisional
  data from two gauges
• 8-10 yr. event at Puyallup (downstream)
• 20-25 yr. event at Orting (upstream)
• Obtained elevation data from City of Sumner for
  14 of 35 units.

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Assumptions

• 52 / sq. ft. replacement cost
• Average unit size 1,120 sq. ft.
• Content value 40 of building replacement
• 3-5 foot elevation cost est. 10-15,000
• Used Flood Full Data BCA module
• 2 feet water 100 loss
• 99,416
• 2006 peak flood 52.7 feet based on high water
  marks in park

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Example Losses Avoided
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Conclusion

• Losses avoided in 13 of 14 homes exceeded est.
  cost of elevation.
• Avoided losses range from 5,218 to 99,416.
• Total losses avoided 960,482.
• Average avoided loss 68,605.

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City of Snoqualmie

• Elevated or relocated gt100 homes in city after
  floods in 1995, 1996, 1997.
• Examined 28 homes elevated in mid 1900s.
• Elevation data obtained from city records.
• Average elevation 8.2 feet.
• November 2006 flood was 10-year event.

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Assumptions

• 97 / square foot building replacement cost
• Content value 40 building replacement
• 50 damage total loss
• Peak flood 420 feet, based on USACE analysis of
  2006 event
• Used Flood Full Data BCA module

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Example Losses Avoided
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Conclusion

• All 28 homes would have been damaged w/o
  elevation.
• Est. cost of elevation 1,314,850
• Est. losses avoided 1,625,000
• Avoided losses ranged from 23,900 to 261,735

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Chehalis, WADecember 2007 Flood Disaster
Historical Crests(1) 74.31 ft on 02/09/1996(2)
73.50 ft on 01/10/1990(3) 71.99 ft on
11/25/1986(4) 71.65 ft on 01/21/1972(5) 71.30
ft on 11/25/1990
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Centralia Loss-Reduction Study

• Examined 35 homes elevated after 1996, 1997 flood
  disasters
• Used Dec. 2007 flood levels 200- 500-year
  discharges
• Pre-mitigation depths range from -0.7 to 9.0 FFE
• Est. cost of elevations 1,017,415
• Post-mitigation depths range from -3.5 to 0.4
  FFE
• Est. losses avoided 1,905,760

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Local News Story on Study
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Future Loss-Avoidance Studies

• City of Issaquah
• Issaquah Creek storm water drainage improvements
• Stillaguamish Flood Control District
• Old Stilly Flood Gate
• HAZUS modeling of earthquake projects

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Questions?

• Mark Stewart
• State Hazard
• Mitigation Officer
• 253.512.7072
• m.stewart_at_emd.wa.gov

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Questions?
Mark Stewart State Hazard Mitigation Programs
Manager WA Emergency Management Division (253)
512-7072 m.stewart_at_emd.wa.gov
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Application Restrictions

• DR-1734 HMGP
• Two applications per jurisdiction.
• Maximum grant award
• 1.5 million per project application.
• 150,000 per planning application.
• Figures include federal / non-federal shares.