JOINT FEDERAL, STATE,
LOCAL
PUBLIC NOTICE
September 14, 2023
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: Jackson County Board of County Commissioners
Project Title: HMGP-4399-055-R Jackson County, Pooser Road, Drainage
Location of Proposed Work: The area affected by this project consists of homes in the following locations: Homes along and adjacent to Pooser Road in Marianna, Florida from HWY 73 to Wynn Road.
Proposed Work and Purpose: The scope of work for this project includes paving and drainage improvements on Pooser Road from State Road 73 to just west of Wynn Road. Pooser Road currently contains a recycled asphalt surface which has deteriorated to a graded surface in the flood prone areas. This project will construct a new paved roadway on an elevated profile grade to mitigate historic flooding problems. The raising of the roadway profile grade elevation along with the new drainage ditches will mitigate flooding conditions to cover a 100-year storm event.
Project Alternatives: The alternatives to the project that have been and will be considered are 1) the no action alternative and 2) expanding existing drainage structures. These alternatives to the proposed project are not viable because under Alternative 1) repetitive flooding is not alleviated and the needs of the community would not be served; and Alternative 2) only alleviates minor flood concerns leaving the project area vulnerable and therefore is 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 30 days of this notice. 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:
Sarah Sun, Project Manager (850) 482-9633
Jackson County suns@jacksoncountyfl.gov
Kayla Born, State Lead Environmental Specialist (850) 815-4582 Florida Division of Emergency Management Kayla.Born@em.myflorida.com