FEMA Region 10 - 2014 Mitigation Summit
Linking Environmental Planning into Actionable Mitigation Projects and Strategies
Mandates and Initiatives
Federal Laws and Executive Orders
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National Environmental Policy Act 44 CFR Part 10 - FEMA shall take care to assure ‘…all practical means and measures are used
to protect, restore, and enhance the quality of the environment, …’
Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management) 44 CFR Part 9 – FEMA shall ‘…avoid long- and short-term adverse impacts
associated with the occupancy and modification of floodplains …’ and ‘avoid direct and indirect support of floodplain
development and new construction … where ever there is a practicable alternative’ and ‘restore and preserve the natural and
beneficial values served by floodplains…’
Endangered Species Act Section 7(a)(1) – ‘Federal agencies shall, in consultation with and with the assistance of the Secretary
[of DOI], utilize their authorities in furtherance of the purposes of this Act by carrying out programs for the conservation of
endangered and threatened species…’
FEMA EHP Initiatives
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HQ Office of Environmental and Historic Preservation Planning - Policy Assessment Implementation Plan (2012) – Improve
integration of EHP values into program decisions, Mitigation Directorate also committed to this
Region 10 Action Plan for OEHP Policy Assessment (2012) – help front-load and integrate EHP requirements with programs and
States
Mitigation Program
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Planning requirements 44 CFR Part 201–
 Standard Plans – ‘identification, evaluation, and prioritization of cost effective and environmentally sound … mitigation
actions and activities…’
 Enhanced Plans – Preparing accurate environmental reviews
Grant Benefit Cost Analysis – now credits environmental benefits for buyouts
NFIP/ESA lawsuit settlement – In addition to Section 7(a)(1) of the ESA, FEMA must also assure that Puget Sound Basin actions
comply with the 2008 NMFS Biological Opinion; actions in floodway, riparian buffer zone or delineated channel migration zone
must avoid any adverse effects to listed species and designated critical habitat.
National Mitigation Framework (2013) – Achieving resilience and sustainability includes consideration of environmental factors
and stewardship
Questions for Discussion
With these various mandates and initiatives in place, from the State’s perspective, how do we leverage the
various grant programs to not only achieve mitigation objectives but also further environmental values and
stewardship?
What are the opportunities?
What are the constraints?
How can FEMA further support funding, screening, or prioritizing selection of projects that achieve both
mitigation and environmental stewardship objectives?