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:

Town of Alford

 

Project Title:

HMGP-4399-058 – Town of Alford, Westwood Drive, Drainage

 

Location of Proposed Work:

The proposed work will occur along Westwood Drive, Arizona Street, Park Ave. and 1st Ave. The entirety of Westwood Drive will be paved. Minimal disturbance along Park Avenue is expected at the intersection of Park Avenue and Westwood Drive due to the paving and installation of drainage infrastructure along Westwood Drive. Approximately 220 feet of area is expected to be disturbed along Arizona Street between Westwood Drive and 1st Ave. Finally, approximately 245 feet of 1st Avenue is expected to be disturbed starting at the intersection of Arizona Street.

 

Proposed Work and Purpose:

The Town of Alford proposes to improve the drainage of Westwood Drive by expanding the roadside ditches to convey the stormwater away from houses and off the road. The new drainage system shall direct the water to the existing ditch at Arizona Street to catch the runoff. The project will additionally include installation of roadside ditches, side drain culverts, utility relocation, and paving the exposed surface of approximately 1,600 feet of road with asphalt.

 

Project Alternatives:

The alternatives to the project that have been and will be considered are 1) the no action alternative and 2) conveying the stormwater through underground piping. 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) is cost prohibitive, 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 30 days of this notice or by November 11, 2024. 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:

                               

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Silvestra Tharp/Town Clerk, Floodplain Administrator

Town of Alford

850-579-4684

clerk@alfordfl.com 

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Kayla Born, State Lead Environmental Specialist

Florida Division of Emergency Management               

(850)273-9289

MitigationEnvironmental@em.myflorida.com

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