Please note that our website is undergoing some redesign work, so please let us know if there is missing content that you need access to or if you are having difficulty locating anything!

Contact us at help@kymitigation.org.

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Kentucky Watches, Warnings or Advisories Weather Alerts  Follow the alerts, link here.

Link to our Quick Links.

Contact us if you have questions or want to join our newsletter e-mail list help@kymitigation.org.

http://Link to abstract & bio

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Join KAMM – 2023

KAMM offers three membership levels: Individual ($25), Student ($10); and Agency/Organization ($250). Membership is based on the calendar year (January 1 – December 31). 

Link to Join KAMM.  Pay by Check or by Credit Card.

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KAMM is very grateful to Lt. Governor Coleman for
speaking to our KAMM family this year and for her recognition and acknowledgement of our mitigation efforts across the Commonwealth.

Thank you, Lt. Governor Coleman!

                      

2023 KAMM Conference Attendees Contact list

 

 

 

KAMM Attendees Certificates

 

Conference Evaluations

 

 

Mitigation in the Mountains
KAMM’s 19^th Annual Conference in Prestonsburg

The KAMM Mitigation in the Mountains conference in Prestonsburg was a wonderful success! The folks at the Mountain Arts Center (MAC), Prestonsburg Tourism, and the City of Prestonsburg were the most gracious hosts anyone could ask for (and they provided us with beautiful weather and clean mountain air all week long)! The KAMM team thanks all of our KAMM family who were able to attend the 19^th annual conference, and we hope you enjoyed your stay, met some new mitigation colleagues, and learned a lot.

 Check back here for conference presentations and photos!

KAMM 2023-2025 Board of Directors

Chair: Joe Sullivan
Vice Chair: Angela Herndon
Secretary: Matt Crawford
Treasurer: Kevin Miller
At-Large Representative: Alex VanPelt
Region I Representative: Terry “Moose” Massey
Region II Representative: Meghan Brown
Region III Representative: Mario Sebastiani
Region IV Representative: Shanda Cecil
Past Chair: Geni Jo Brawner
Chair Emeritus: Carey Johnson

Visit the Conference Page 

Visit the 2023-2024 KAMM Sponsors Page

 

 

Scan QR Code to Link to Agenda

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to our 2023 KAMM
Mitigation Manager of the Year
Matt Powell, City of Bowling Green
Environmental Manager

2022 Mitigation Manager of the Year, Jason York, presents the 2023 award to Matt Powell,
Bowling Green Environmental Manager

Read about Matt’s contributions here!

   

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New gear at the KAMM store — check it out at KAMM eStore!

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NEWS

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The Grass is Always Greener: Best Practices for Water-Efficient Landscaping

October 3rd, 11 am – 12 pm

Well maintained landscaping can add value to properties, but often requires substantial water and energy consumption. Implementing strategies to minimize water use for irrigation can reduce water bills and create a more resilient environment. Join this webinar to learn from partners about best practices for curbing water use to cultivate sustainable landscapes.

Presenters:

• Michael Gulich, MGM Resorts International
• Tara O’Hare, U.S. EPA
• John Walker, University of Utah

If you’re interested in this webinar, register today.

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Register for ShakeOut — World’s Largest Earthquake Drill

Join FEMA in the world’s largest earthquake drill on Oct. 19. Register and find out how to participate (ShakeOut.org/register).

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Almost $1.4 million grant will support legal services to Kentucky flood victims, hotline

AppalRed Legal Aid will use a $1,345,226 grant to add staff to help low-income Kentuckians still trying to recover from last year’s severe storms, floods and mudslides, according to a news release from the Prestonsburg-based nonprofit. Read more…

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Swept Away: 30 Years Since the Great Flood of 1993

The Great Flood of 1993 in the Midwestern United States was an unprecedented event. With over 500 counties that received federal disaster aid, a substantial effort in disaster assistance was needed by FEMA. With the first flood warnings in April for Iowa and Illinois, few would have guessed that it was only the beginning of an entire summer of flooding across the Upper Mississippi River basin. 

Summer arrived with rains that continued to soak the Midwest. Rivers and streams rose quickly, overflowing their banks across a nine-state region. By the time the river finally subsided in St. Louis, every county in Iowa had received a major disaster declaration. In some locations, flooding lasted for nearly 200 days. Hundreds of agricultural levees were overtopped and destroyed. Thousands of homes and businesses were damaged.

In the aftermath of the major 1993 flooding, state hazard mitigation teams were faced with implementing a large-scale and well-funded Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for the first time. HMGP provides grants to states, tribes, territories, and local governments interested in implementing long-term hazard mitigation measures in the wake of a major disaster declaration. The program enables mitigation measures during the recovery period following a disaster declaration. 1,352 properties were acquired and demolished. Acquisition of flood prone property was the main mitigation strategy selected by states in the Midwest for several years following the flood of 1993. Several thousand structures were eliminated from the floodplains throughout the region, and the parcels have been conserved as open space, restoring natural floodplain functions. In many of these areas, recent flooding events resulted in little to no damage.

Acquisition projects made up 97% of the hazard mitigation projects completed. These mitigation efforts also resulted in a decrease in the claims paid out by the National Flood Insurance Program for later flood events. When a presidential disaster declaration occurs, FEMA’s HMGP funding is available. Eligible applicants are state and local governments, federally recognized tribes or other tribal organizations, and certain private non-profit organizations.

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2024 National Dam Safety Program Technical Seminar Registration & Call for Speakers Now Open

Registration and Call for Speakers is now open for the 31st annual National Dam Safety Program Technical Seminar (NDSPTS). The NDSPTS is a two-day seminar held annually that brings dam safety professionals from across the nation together. This year’s NDSPTS has been scheduled for Feb. 13-14, 2024.

The seminar will be hosted at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute training facilities in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The theme for this year’s seminar is “Dam Safety 101: Design, Analysis, Construction, and Risk Management.” 

The theme was selected by the National Dam Safety Review Board Work Group on Dam Safety Training, and it will highlight relevant issues and best practices in dam safety. Participants from the dam safety community are encouraged to register now and join the vast network of officials from state dam safety programs; dam and levee safety professionals at federal, territorial, and tribal agencies; dam and levee owners and operators; engineering consultants and emergency managers; and the private sector at the event. 

For more information about the NDSPTS, please visit fema.gov or contact either timothy.bush@fema.dhs.gov or alesia.zagara@associates.fema.dhs.gov. 

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[Registration Now Open] Kentucky Residential and Community Safe Room Training for Registered Design Professionals

You are cordially invited to attend the Kentucky Residential and Community Safe Room Training for Registered Design Professionals. Two identical offerings are available and scheduled for September 28^th and October 25^th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (ET). To register, please visit https://forms.microsoft.com/r/F3iVngKkNn.

 

This free virtual 3-hour Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) training funded by the Kentucky Disaster Declaration DR-4630-KY, is targeted towards registered design professionals; it will provide an overview of Part B of the recently updated FEMA P-361, Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes: Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms, Fourth Edition (2021). FEMA P-361 presents updated and refined criteria for how to design and construct a safe room that provides near-absolute protection from wind and wind-borne debris for occupants. FEMA’s latest changes reference the 2020 update to the consensus standard from the International Code Council® (ICC®) and the National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA®), the ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters (ICC 500).

 

For more information please see the invite attached. Please feel free to share with anyone you think might be interested in attending.

 

To register, please visit https://forms.microsoft.com/r/F3iVngKkNn.

 

Relevant Training Materials:

 

• FEMA P-361: Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes: Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms
• 2021 Kentucky Tornadoes Recovery Advisory 1: Essential Facilities Located in Tornado-Prone Regions: Recommendations for Facility Owners
• 2021 Kentucky Tornadoes Recovery Advisory 2: Reconstructing a Non-Residential Building After a Tornado
• Improving Windstorm and Tornado Resilience: Recommendations for One- and Two-Family Residential Structures

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  Design Guide for New Tornado Load Requirements in ASCE 7-22

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To sign up for Building Science Disaster Support Emails: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSFEMA/subscriber/new?topic_id=USDHSFEMA_123

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KACo Leadership Institute: Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery for County Elected Officials

Date: Oct. 3 or Oct. 4, 2023 – choose one

 Time: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. EDT

 Location: KACo HQ, Frankfort

 Cost: FREE

Join KACo as instructors from the National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center (NERRTC) use a case study to frame the discussion on ways to overcome leadership challenges in planning and responding to a large-scale incident and examine the dynamics of crisis leadership and decision making from an elected or senior county official’s perspective.   Additionally, NERRTC will provide a strategic overview of the FEMA Public Assistance Process. The goal of the seminar is to develop action plans to guide improved preparedness and emergency response, as well as provide county leaders with the key elements, milestones and pitfalls to avoid when developing their recovery plans and operations.   8 hours of HB 810 credit available

Register here for Oct. 3

 

Register here for Oct. 4

 

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FEMA Designates First Communities to Receive Targeted
Assistance for Hazards Resilience

Sept. 6, 2023, FEMA announced the initial designation of 483 census tracts that will be eligible for increased federal support to become more resilient to natural hazards and extreme weather worsened by the climate crisis. Congress directed FEMA to make these designations in the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act of 2022 and implement this bipartisan legislation to help build resilience to natural hazards in communities most at-risk due to climate change. FEMA will use Community Disaster Resilience Zones designations to direct and manage financial and technical assistance for resilience projects. For example, for federal agencies, the legislation provides additional federal cost-share for projects in designated zones. The zone designations can also help the private sector, nonprofits, philanthropies, and other non-federal partners target investments in community resilience. The act aims to increase resilience efforts and preventative measures designed to address underserved communities most at-risk to natural hazards. Consistent with legislative direction, FEMA considered natural hazard risk from a national and state level while accounting for factors that reflect disaster impacts felt by coastal, inland, urban, suburban and rural communities. FEMA also ensured that each state has at least one Community Disaster Resilience Zone in these initial designations. “These designations will help ensure that the most at-risk communities are able to build resilience against natural hazards and extreme weather events, which are becoming increasingly intense and frequent due to climate change,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “This aligns with Congress’ direction, and other FEMA initiatives, to get federal support and resources to the communities that need them most.” This initial set of designations covers all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These designations can be explored on an interactive map on FEMA’s website. Additional information on the designation methodology and criteria is available. More Community Disaster Resilience Zone designations, including tribal lands and territories, are expected to be announced in the fall of 2023. An additional designation of zones will occur in 12-18 months based on updates to the National Risk Index, lessons learned from these initial designations, and stakeholder input. Examples of planned updates to the National Risk Index include additional data on tsunami and riverine flood risk. This new law amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Recovery and Emergency Act to direct use of a natural hazard risk assessment index, like FEMA’s National Risk Index, to identify communities which are most at risk of the effects of natural hazards and climate change. For these designations, this methodology uses a tailored version of the National Risk Index that includes socioeconomic status, household characteristics, house type and transportation themes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index. The designation methodology also advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government commitment to environmental justice by incorporating the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, which identifies disadvantaged communities that are underserved and overburdened by pollution and climate risk. Designated zones will have prioritized access to federal funding for resilience and mitigation projects. For example, this fall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will make an award for the Climate-Smart Communities Initiative program funded by the Inflation Reduction Act to accelerate the pace and reduce the cost of climate resilience-building for communities across the United States. NOAA will work with communities to co-develop equitable climate resilience plans that can be readied for funding and implementation. The priority is to assist communities that are at the highest risk to climate impacts and have the most need for assistance, such as the FEMA-identified Community Disaster Resilience Zones. The vision for the Community Disaster Resilience Zone Act, passed with bipartisan support in December 2022, is to leverage collaboration and cross-sector coordination across all levels of government, philanthropic foundations, private non-profits, universities, the insurance industry and private businesses. FEMA will continue to engage the public as it refines the natural hazard risk assessment methodology to designate the zones, consults with local jurisdictions and implements post-designation support from a range of public and private resources. News Release, FEMA Designates First Communities to Receive Targeted Assistance for Hazards Resilience | FEMA.gov

Registration is Open for the 2023
Hazard Mitigation Partners Virtual Workshop!

This year’s workshop, All Together for Climate Resilient Communities, will run virtually October 16-19, from 12:00 – 4:45 p.m. ET. Detailed information about the workshop and a link to register can be found at Registration is Open for the 2023 Hazard Mitigation Partners Workshop | FEMA.gov.

The 2023 Hazard Mitigation Partners Workshop is the annual gathering of hazard mitigation experts and partners with the purpose of informing and updating stakeholders about mitigation grants and floodplain management, strengthening those relationships, and providing knowledge transfer between FEMA and our attendees from state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, other federal agencies, and FEMA stakeholders.

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Announcing KWA’s Inaugural Kentucky
Watershed Network Collaborative Summit

You’re invited to KWA’s FREE Inaugural Kentucky Watershed Network Collaborative Summit on Thursday 11/2/23 – Friday 11/3/23 at Lost River Cave. This event is where experienced watershed leaders and the next generation of watershed leaders connect! Together, we will continue to establish and collaborate on needs and priorities for Kentucky Watershed Network activities and resources. There will be ample networking time and learning sessions. Follow this eventbrite link for more information and to REGISTER TODAY! There are limited spaces to participate, so sign up now. This is a FREE event, but there will be lodging costs. A detailed agenda will be released soon. We hope that you will come, learn, share, network, and contribute to OUR Kentucky Watershed Network.

Register Here!

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No-Cost Webinar: Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Act (WIFIA) Funding Overview

Date: Thursday, September 28, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT

Description: Ask the experts! Join us to learn more about US EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. The WIFIA program accelerates investment in our nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental loans for regionally and nationally significant projects. To date, WIFIA has made 109 loans, totaling $19 Billion!
In this upcoming webinar, EFCN will host two distinguished experts from the US EPA who will deliver insights and essential information about the WIFIA program. Following the comprehensive overview, you can engage in an interactive Q&A session, offering you the chance to ask EPA experts any questions you may have about the WIFIA program.

Presenters: Dallas Shattuck, Senior Program Manager for the WIFIA Program, and Leslie Temple, Loan Manager for the WIFIA Program, US Environmental Protection Agency

Register Now

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2024 ASFPM Annual National Conference Call for Abstracts is Now Open

It’s time to start developing the ASFPM 2024 program and we need your help! Submit an abstract, or two, to share your flood mitigation story, tool, or resource. Go to the conference website and follow instructions. Submissions will only be accepted using the online form. The website also provides helpful information on the selection process and expectations of presenters.  The 2024 Call for Abstracts seeks professionals to submit for 30-minute concurrent sessions and/or 2-4 hour workshops that address the broad range of floodplain management issues including communicating flood risk, NFIP and flood insurance, policy, environmental justice and equity, success stories, natural and beneficial floodplain functions and more. Click here for more information and to submit your abstract. 2024 ASFPM Annual National Conference June 23-27, 2024 Salt Lake City, Utah “Resiliency is Life Elevated” Abstract submissions are due October 31, 2023.

FEMA Advisory: FEMA Announces Implementation of Immediate Needs Funding

FEMA’s top priorities are meeting disaster survivors’ immediate needs and ensuring states, tribes and territories have the necessary lifesaving and life-sustaining resources to respond to disasters. 

Since the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is approaching exhaustion, and given the current disaster environment, FEMA is implementing Immediate Needs Funding (INF) guidance to extend the remaining balance. While we had intended to provide ten full days notice, the current disaster environment with a major fire and multiple hurricanes make it necessary to implement INF immediately. This will allow FEMA to continue its focus on response and urgent recovery efforts without interruption.

INF is intended to meet the urgent needs of disaster survivors and will prioritize funding for lifesaving, life-sustaining, and critical disaster activities. There have been a number of times in the past where the Agency found it necessary to issue INF, as a precautionary measure, to maintain an adequate DRF balance while awaiting passage of appropriations legislation.

When INF is implemented, funding will continue for Individual Assistance, Public Assistance essential for lifesaving and life-sustaining activities, state management costs, mission assignments and critical ongoing disaster operations.

Under INF, there will not be new obligations for Public Assistance not essential for lifesaving and life-sustaining activities, permanent work and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Obligations for these activities will be paused until the DRF is sufficiently funded. However, FEMA will continue to accept and process Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation grant applications even in categories where the obligations are paused.

It is critical that we adhere to these guidelines to ensure our agency has the resources needed to respond during catastrophic disasters. Please reach out to FEMA-FBO-Action-Tracker@fema.dhs.gov if you have questions about how this will impact particular projects. 

Contact Us

If you have any questions, please contact FEMA Office of External Affairs:

• Congressional Affairs at (202) 646-4500 or at FEMA-Congressional-Affairs@fema.dhs.gov
• Intergovernmental Affairs at (202) 646-3444 or at FEMA-IGA@fema.dhs.gov
• Tribal Affairs at (202) 646-3444 or at FEMA-Tribal@fema.dhs.gov
• Private Sector Engagement at (202) 646-3444 or at FEMA-Private-Sector@fema.dhs.gov

Follow Us

Follow FEMA on social media at: FEMA Blog on fema.gov, @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol on Twitter, FEMA or FEMA Espanol on Facebook, @FEMA on Instagram, and via FEMA YouTube channel.

Also, follow Administrator Deanne Criswell on Twitter @FEMA_Deanne.

FEMA Mission

Helping people before, during, and after disasters.

•  FEMA Advisory FEMA Announces Implementation of Immediate Needs Funding 20230829.pdf
• INF FAQs.pdf
• INF Fact Sheet.pdf

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FEMA Announces Final Selections for nearly $3 Billion in Funding to Drive Resilience to Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events

August 28th FEMA announced project selections for nearly $3 billion in climate resilience funding as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The selections, through two competitive grant programs, will help communities across the nation enhance resilience to climate change and extreme weather events.

Today’s selections include $1.8 billion for critical resilience projects funded by the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) national competition and $642 million for Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) community-scale flood mitigation projects. These selections build on $160 million in BRIC and FMA selections that FEMA announced in May for efforts to support mitigation projects, project scoping, and adoption of hazard-resistant building codes. Combined, the funds awarded this grant cycle of the BRIC and FMA programs total nearly $3 billion, including management costs.

President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has provided record funding to FEMA’s annual resilience grant programs, increasing them from $700 million when he took office to $3 billion this year. Overall, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides FEMA nearly $7 billion to help communities proactively reduce their vulnerability to flood, hurricanes, drought, wildfires, extreme heat, and other climate-fueled hazards. This increased funding allows FEMA to expand its geographic scope in funding selections and protect more of our nation’s communities that are most in harm’s way from the effects of climate change and extreme weather. Today’s selections include projects in 23 states that have never before received competitive BRIC funding.

Today’s selections further underscore the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to equity and environmental justice, including by assisting the most disadvantaged communities in building resilience to climate change and extreme weather events. Aligning with the President’s Justice40 Initiative, these efforts will advance the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain covered federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment.

In total, more than $1.2 billion—71%—in BRIC national competition selections and approximately 53% of all BRIC and FMA selections—$1.6 billion—will benefit disadvantaged communities.

For the BRIC national competition, FEMA selected 124 projects across 115 communities. The selections span all 10 FEMA regions, including 38 states, one tribe and the District of Columbia. These are critical mitigation projects and activities to reduce natural hazard risks for states, local communities, tribes and territories. 

Learn more about selected projects on BRIC’s homepage. 

For the Flood Mitigation Assistance program, FEMA selected 149 projects in National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)-participating communities in 28 states and the District of Columbia. This funding will go towards flood control and individual property mitigation projects such as elevation, acquisitions and mitigation reconstruction of repetitively flood-damaged buildings insured by the NFIP.

Learn more about selected projects on Flood Mitigation Assistance’s homepage.

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Emergency Conservation Program Assistance Available in Madison County

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) in Madison County to address damages from the severe storm event that occurred in Madison County June 25, 2023. ECP signup will begin on August 14, 2023 and end on October 12, 2023.

The following county is eligible for ECP assistance: Madison County.

ECP helps you with the cost to restore the farmland to pre-disaster conditions. You may receive up to 75 percent of the cost of approved restoration activity. Limited resource, socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and ranchers may receive up to 90 percent cost-share. The payment limitation for ECP is $500,000 per disaster, and the funds are limited to activities to return the land to the relative pre-disaster condition.

The approved ECP practices under this authorization include:

• EC1-debris
• EC3- fencing

You must apply for assistance prior to beginning reconstructive work.  In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), FSA must complete an environmental compliance review prior to producers taking any actions. Submitting an application after reconstructive work has been completed may not qualify for ECP. Conservation concerns that were present on the land prior to the disaster are not eligible for ECP assistance.

FSA county committees will evaluate applications based on an on-site inspection of the damaged land, taking into consideration the type and extent of the damage. An on-site inspection does not guarantee that cost-share funding will be provided.

For more information on ECP, contact the Madison County USDA Service Center at 859-624-1980 to schedule an appointment.

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New FEMA Elevation Certificate

FEMA released the updated Elevation Certificate form on Friday, July 7, 2023. There is no grace period for the old form. Any form signed and dated as of July 7, 2023 must be on the latest FEMA EC Form. To obtain a copy of the form, please go here.

Now that Verisk/ISO has a copy of the new form, we will be creating training webinars, videos, and guidance documents to help you understand the requirements of this new form. Trainings will be announced soon.

For Quick Reference: the same fields from the old form are still being required by CRS. New fields and newly-required fields on this new form are:

• A5 Lat and Long (every time)
• A6 (at least 2, preferably 4 or more photos must be submitted with each EC and they must be clear/visible)
• All of A8 (when appropriate)
• All of A9 (when appropriate)
• B1.a. and B1.b (yes, both must be entered and correct)
• C2f (LAG) and C2g (HAG): boxes now required for either “Natural” or “Finished” grade. These must be marked every time (when Section C is used).

• Section E – the stage of construction “Construction Drawings”/Buildings Under Construction”/“Finished Construction” must be marked when this section is used.
• E5 must be completed (when appropriate)
• G8 (every time)
• G11 (every time)
• Local officials must provide Name, Signature and Date in Section G (every time)

* The new Sections H and I are for insurance purposes only and ARE NOT reviewed for CRS purposes.

UPDATE:

 On August 9, 2023, FEMA released the Write Your Own (WYO) Company Bulletin w-23007 which extends the use of the previous EC and Floodproofing forms until November 1, 2023. 

For CRS communities and CRS annual requirements, this means that until November 1, 2023, ISO will accept the prior EC and Floodproofing forms (properly completed) that are signed and certified or the new EC and Floodproofing forms. Starting November 1, 2023, only the new EC and Floodproofing forms will be accepted (properly completed, signed and certified).

Webinars and Training Videos pertaining to the new forms will be available soon. In the meantime, we have two guidance documents you can use to help you understand the new CRS requirements: the “2022 EC Checklist” and the “Newly Required Fields for 2022 Elevation Certificate”.

 

FEMA Substantial Damage Estimator Training Modules

When structures within the floodplain are damaged, NFIP communities have a responsibility to assess impacts before repairs can be made, no matter the cause of the damage. If the repair cost is 50% or more of the structure’s market value, the structure must be protected from future flood damages using the community’s local floodplain management standards (i.e. Flood Ordinance). Rebuilding to current standards decreases risk to life and property, and prevents future disaster suffering.

To help floodplain managers and other local officials with implementing these Substantial Damage reviews, FEMA has put together a set of training videos (modules) that walk you through the process. Some examples of the modules include SD Basics, Using the SDE Tool, Residential vs. Non-Residential SDEs, Field Inspections, and more.

Watch the Substantial Damage Estimator Trainings HERE.

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Last year, officials from the White House, FEMA, state and local government, and private sector entities announced the National Initiative to Advance Building Codes. The initiative provided incentives and support for communities to adopt modern building codes.

FEMA also announced its Building Codes Strategy. To help with these efforts, FEMA published the Building Codes Adoption Playbook for Authorities Having Jurisdiction which is intended for officials interested in increasing community resilience and reducing loss from natural hazards by adopting the latest editions of model building codes. The Playbook equips officials with background and language to help educate decision-makers and constituents on the benefits of adopting and enforcing the latest building code editions. In addition, the publication provides general steps to help navigate the code adoption process and informs about FEMA grants available to support building code adoption and enforcement activities.

FEMA has also made recent updates to the National Hazards Index, including new data and information to improve the user experience and risk knowledge about floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. These changes will help inform the community’s decision-making as they create hazard mitigation plans and select resilience-related projects. All these resources were made in the hopes that they would help to protect communities and individuals from disasters in the future.

Homeowners Take Action

Hurricane Ida demonstrated the damage a hurricane can inflict on the built environment when it made landfall as a major hurricane in Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2021. Even though the storm was not a design-level event for wind loading on residential buildings, extensive damage was documented to the housing stock. In response to this storm, FEMA updated the Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential Buildings (FEMA P-804), with lessons learned from the last decades of storm observations and advances in wind engineering to help property owners retrofit their houses and apply for FEMA funding to do so. FEMA P-804 summarizes the technical information needed for selecting and implementing cost-effective FEMA-funded wind retrofit projects for existing one- and two-family dwellings in hurricane-prone regions of the United States and its territories. Although this Guide references guidance for one- and two-family dwellings in hurricane-prone regions, much of the guidance may also be applied to non-coastal areas subject to high winds. Homeowners can also download the newly released Building Codes Toolkit for Homeowners and Occupants to obtain a number of actionable resources that will aid you in navigating the ins and outs of starting a new project on your house.

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New Hazus Inventory National Database Now Available!

 

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SIGN UP FOR KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE KAMM COMMUNITY MITIGATION GRANT FUND!

We are excited to be partnering with Kroger to raise funds for our community grant fund! When you enroll in the Kroger Community Rewards program and select Kentucky Association of Mitigation Managers as your organization, each purchase you make using your Kroger Rewards card will make a contribution toward KAMM’s Community Mitigation Grant Fund.

Visit http://www.kroger.com to get started(or use the QR code here).

Once you have logged into your Kroger account,
select Community Rewards from the left page menu. Search for Kentucky Association of Mitigation Managers either by name or XF099 and then click Enroll. New users will need to create an account which requires some basic information, a valid email address and a rewards card.

Participants must swipe their registered Kroger rewards card or use the phone number that is related to their registered Kroger rewards card when shopping for each purchase to count.

Let’s raise money together to help communities across the Commonwealth grow stronger!

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NEWS FROM KAMM PARTNERS

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Fall Weather Safety Campaign Starts September 1st

By: NWS Staff

The Weather-Ready Nation outreach team encourages everyone to take steps to ensure their safety from weather hazards this fall. Starting September 1, new weather safety content will be available for anyone to access, share over social media, or incorporate into their own safety messages to family, employees, and especially those most vulnerable. Content includes infographics, social media templates, presentations, and Spanish-language resources. For more information and to access the Fall Weather Safety Campaign visit: https://www.weather.gov/wrn/fall-safety.

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Join the Kentucky Emergency Management Association (KEMA) or renew. 

Memberships are available as Individual, Group, Associate, and Corporate.

You can register and pay online or you can print the invoice and mail in your payment.   We encourage everyone to join and be a part of our association.  We also encourage our associate and cooperate partners to join as well.  The associate membership is for individuals interested in emergency management but is not otherwise affiliated with an emergency management program. Memberships are based on the January-to-December calendar year.

Corporate membership is for an individual representing a business or organization whose interests include emergency management. Memberships are based on the January-to-December calendar year. 

For more information about the Kentucky Emergency Management Association (KEMA) click the links below.

 KEMA: https://kyema.org/

 JOIN KEMA:  https://kyema.org/content.aspx?page_id=60&club_id=786250

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 Educational Opportunities

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EPA’s Watershed Academy has two exciting announcements to share!

New Learning Module – Nutrient Pollution

We are excited to announce that the Watershed Academy’s new Nutrient Pollution Module is now available.  

This module is intended to provide an overview of nutrient pollution and the associated water quality and human health impacts. This module covers the science behind the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, the impacts of nutrient pollution on human health and the environment, the sources of nutrient pollution, and federal, state, tribal, and territory actions underway to mitigate nutrient pollution impacts. It also includes the current science on how climate change may impact nutrient pollution. Finally, the module covers the tools, opportunities, and activities available for the public to get involved in these issues. This module is eligible for the Watershed Management Training Certificate program.

Visit https://www.epa.gov/watershedacademy/nutrient-pollution-module to begin the course!

Webcast Recording – Addressing Nonpoint Source Pollution

The recording of EPA’s Watershed Academy webcast, “Addressing Nonpoint Source Pollution ” held on July 17^th, 2023 is now available on EPA’s Watershed Academy webpage here: https://www.epa.gov/watershedacademy/addressing-nonpoint-source-pollution-through-epas-national-nonpoint-source-program.

Previous Watershed Academy webcasts are also available for viewing here: https://www.epa.gov/watershedacademy/watershed-academy-webcast-archives.

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Campbell County Office of Emergency Management, Upcoming Training Winter Weather Hazards: Science & Preparedness (AWR-331)

This eight hour course will prepare participants to understand the basics of winter weather science, the winter weather forecasting process, how winter weather forecasts are communicated, and the fundamentals of winter weather safety and preparedness. Since winter storms can strike every state in the United States, it is important that every community be ready for the hazards associated with them. This awareness-level course will fulfill the goals of the “whole community” approach to emergency management by reaching a broad sector of the community. Multiple core capabilities will be addressed, with particular emphasis on “public information and warning” and “threats and hazard identification.” Participants who represent sectors such as mass care services, health and social services, operational communications, critical transportation, and planning would further expand the discussions in this course to other corresponding core capabilities.

This Course is sponsored by the Campbell County Office of Emergency Management, and the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. Delivered by the National Disaster Preparedness Center at the University of Hawaii.   All training delivered by the NDPTC is certified by DHS

and offered tuition-free to the nation’s emergency response community and associated stakeholders.

Register online at:  https://bit.ly/37reGFj

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Pipeline Security (AWR-302) Course: January 2024

America’s pipeline system stretches across the country like the veins and arteries of the human body and much of this system crosses the rural environment. The pipeline system delivers two-thirds of the petroleum products and nearly all of the natural gas to the homes and businesses of the United States. The system includes 2.5 million miles of pipelines, operated by over three thousand companies. The pipelines carry not only petroleum products and natural gas, but also other hazardous liquid materials. The purpose of this awareness level, instructor led course is to bring together rural pipeline security stakeholders including public safety, oil and gas pipeline representatives (large and small), local emergency planners, pertinent federal agencies, and other community stakeholders to recognize pipeline security threats and identify mitigation strategies within their jurisdictions to ensure that the rural pipeline sector is secure, resilient. This course has been developed by The University of Findlay and is delivered in an instructor-led format.

PARTICIPANT CRITERIA:

Public Safety (specifically law enforcement and fire), HazMat Teams, EMS, Public Works, local emergency planners, pertinent federal and state agencies, and other community stakeholders.

This course is 8 hours (1 day). Registration opens at 7:30 AM, class starts at 8:00 AM.

You can register online at: https://tinyurl.com/2zvv7x4x  

Also, remember you are now required to have a FEMA Student Identification (SID) number to attend any homeland security training in person or online.  The SID number takes the place of your social security number.  Below is a link to the FEMA website to obtain the SID number if you do not already have one.  The whole process should not take more than three minutes. 

FEMA SID site: https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid/register

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Webinars from the National Association of Wetland Managers

RECENTLY RECORDED WEBINARS

Hot Topics Webinars: Implications of the Supreme Court’s Sackett Decision for Protection of Wetlands and Waters Held June 14, 2023 Recording available here.   Celebrating the Endangered Species Act at 50 and the Importance of Conserving Wetlands and Wetland-dependent Species Held May 17, 2023 Recording available soon.   Tribal Wetlands Webinar: Geospatial Mapping Tools and Techniques for Tribal Wetland Programs Held June 15, 2023 Recording available in August.   Members’ Webinar:  National Wetland Condition Assessment: The Second Collaborative Survey of Wetlands in the United States Held June 8, 2023 Recording available in August. Log in to your Members’ Portal Go to Past Members’ Webinars Select year Scroll to view webinars   Natural Floodplain Functions Alliance Webinar: National Action Plan to Protect and Restore Floodplains Held February 16, 2023 Recording available here.

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 New Online NFIP 101: Introduction to Floodplain Management from FEMA & ASFPM

Want to learn floodplain management basics? Don’t have the ability to attend a four-day training? Maybe you just want to brush up on one or two floodplain management topics?
In partnership with the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), FEMA’s Floodplain Management Division is thrilled to announce that our new online, self-paced course NFIP 101: Introduction to Floodplain Management is live! The course is free and available to the general public. You may start, stop, and return to the course as your schedule permits, and you may take it as many times as you’d like. ASFPM is hosting the course and you can find it on their Training and Knowledge page under the “On-Demand Learning” heading, or link to NFIP101 (floods.org).

Two Ways to Use the Course:
Obtain a certificate of completion from FEMA’s Floodplain Management Division as well as 12 continuing education credits from ASFPM, both of which are earned after completing the course and passing the final exam.

As a reference guide on fundamental floodplain management concepts. No need to take the course all over again, just jump to the Chapter or Section you need a refresher on.

This course is intended for those just beginning a career in floodplain management.
It provides:

Local, state, tribal, territorial, and federal officials with the knowledge and skills to administer and enforce floodplain management regulations;

New floodplain administrators with information and communication techniques to explain the impact of floodplain management decisions on insurance, public safety, and health; and

An overview of NFIP minimum floodplain management regulations based on the types of flood hazards identified as well as Substantial Improvement (SI) and Substantial Damage (SD), and describes the use of a permitting process as a floodplain management oversight and compliance tool.

While the content of this course is congruent with EMI’s EL-0273: Managing Floodplain Development Through the NFIP, successful completion of this course does not confer credit from EMI. Interested parties should visit https://training.fema.gov/netc_online_admissions/  to inquire about in-person E-273 courses or reach out to their State Coordinators to inquire about the locally offered, in-person L-273 course. However, students need not choose between the in-person, classroom experience versus the online course. Both are useful, and can meet differing scheduling/topic needs.

Registration: https://www.floods.org/training-center/online-training/asfpm-on-demand-learning/nfip101/

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New Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management Module

We are excited to announce that the Watershed Academy’s new Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management Module is now available.  

This module is intended for water quality and hazard mitigation professionals that are interested in integrating water quality issues and/or nature-based solutions into state or local Hazard Mitigation Plans (HMPs), and highlights the benefits of working across water quality and hazard mitigation programs. Modules in this series can be used as training tools to help planners from both worlds explore activities of mutual interest and benefit. Case studies and examples are provided to assist hazard mitigation planners with integrating water resource programs into HMPs and help watershed planners understand the synergies between water resource plans and HMPs.

Visit https://www.epa.gov/watershedacademy/hazard-mitigation-module  to begin the course!

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Barren River ADD TEEX Courses: Infrastructure Disaster Management Certificate

This program provides the emergency management community a deep dive into key sub-sectors of Critical Infrastructure.

MGT341 Disaster Preparedness for Healthcare Organizations

Link to the informational flyer with QR codes: TEEX Courses

12/13/23 – 12/14/23: MGT341 Disaster Preparedness for Healthcare Organizations

Register here

Contact Dajana Crockett for more information.
(270) 306-4061
dajana.crockett@bradd.org

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Community Rating System Webinar Schedule

The CRS Webinar Series provides both live and on-demand training to communities.  The Series includes basic introductory sessions and more advanced topics, most averaging about an hour in length.

For dates and topic, link to CRS Training and Webinars

Link to https://crsresources.org/training/ to register.

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SAVE THE DATE: Hazard Mitigation Partners Virtual Workshop is
October 16-19, 2023

The workshop will be held virtually on Oct. 16-19, 2023, from noon– 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). The 2023 HM Partners Workshop theme, All Together for Climate Resilient Communities, will bring stakeholders to together to discuss our focus on partnerships, community-based efforts to prevent and reduce the risk of flooding, expanding access to Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant funding, and simplifying our mitigation programs and processes to help the whole community build climate resilience.

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Check out other Online Training

Link to Online Training.

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The National Dam Safety Program Announces Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Opportunities Application Period and Amounts

Correction: Please note this is a correction to the email sent out September 14, 2023. Two clarifications: 1- The SA grant program received $148 million from BIL, and 2- stakeholders must update their information in the NID no later than October 6, 2023, not November 6, 2023, as previously disseminated.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 – FEMA and the National Dam Safety Program have announced the grant disbursement schedule for fiscal year 2024, including proposed amounts for the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams (HHPD) grant program and the State Assistance (SA) grant program. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was signed into law on November 15, 2021, and provided the National Dam Safety Program the following amounts for these two programs. This is funding over five years from 2021-2026. Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams: The grant program received $585 million to provide technical, planning, design, and construction assistance for eligible high-hazard potential dams. State Assistance Grants: This grant program received $148 million to provide financial assistance to states and territories to help strengthen the administration of their dam safety programs. The program considered different methodologies to determine the funding disbursements and schedule, such as Balanced Year Awards, Build-Up Year Awards, Premium Year Awards, and Full Availability Year Awards. In addition, other considerations included state funding resources and timing, funding cycles and the status of the previous year’s funding, stakeholder feedback and the goals of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. As a result, the National Dam Safety Program chose the following funding disbursement schedule: State Assistance Grants: 5-year balanced year awards consisting of a proposed $27 million per year Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams: 3-year balanced year awards consisting of a proposed $185 million per year The BIL-funded funding opportunities are expected to be issued for both NDSP grant programs in the fall of 2023. All applicants can find additional information on FEMA’s webpages for the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams grant program and the State Assistance grant program. To be considered for either grant, applicants are advised to complete the following: Update their information in the National Inventory of Dams (NID) by October 6, 2023 Prepare procurement and project estimates Ensure their accounts on Sam.gov are active and updated with an Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Beginning for FY 2024, all applicants must create a FEMA GO account. All applications must be submitted through FEMA GO. Applications must be complete and submitted by the deadlines of funding opportunities. HHPD grant sub-applicants must also be eligible non-federal entities, and the dam(s) must be classified as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. Application resources will be provided in advance of the funding opportunities. For more information about the National Dam Safety Program, please visit FEMA’s website.

NRCS Makes $65 Million Available for Conservation Innovation Grants 

Grants available to help repair community infrastructure damaged by destructive weather in 2022

Rural Development Kentucky State Director Dr. Tom Carew recently announced the availability of grants to help communities repair essential community facilities damaged by presidentially declared disasters in 2022.

USDA is making grant funding available nationwide through the Community Facilities Disaster Repair Grants Program, which received supplemental disaster funding under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

Eligible entities may apply to receive up to 75% of total project costs to help repair community facilities that were damaged by natural disasters in 2022. Eligible organizations include public bodies, federally recognized Indian Tribes and community-based nonprofits.

For more information, contact USDA Community Programs division at 859-224-7673.

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One Percent Loan Program for Distressed Communities

USDA Rural Utilities Service has received funding for a new One Percent Loan program to help distressed communities. The One Percent Loan program provides an additional tool in our Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant program to maximize the investments from Congress and reduce the reliance on grant funding, while having a positive or neutral fiscal impact on distressed communities receiving assistance.

Funding is available now to help you build, expand, and repair your community’s drinking water, wastewater, storm water drainage, and sanitary solid waste disposal systems. Program highlights include:

• One percent loan financing can be combined with grants to keep user costs reasonable.
• Long loan terms are available with typical projects financed over 40 years, subject to state statute.
• Comprehensive funding allows for construction, engineering, land, legal, environmental, and many other project costs.

Low interest loans are available now. Contact our State Offices to discuss your projects!

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USDA makes grants available to help rural communities repair water infrastructure damaged by destructive weather in 2022

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Kentucky State Director Dr. Tom Carew today announced the availability of grants to help communities repair water infrastructure damaged by presidentially declared disasters in 2022.

USDA is making over $247 million in grant funding available nationwide through supplemental disaster funding under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. Funds will remain available until expended.

“The Biden-Harris administration and USDA Rural Development stand ready with every resource at our disposal to help communities rebuild,” said Carew. “The assistance I’m announcing today will help make sure rural communities who have been impacted by natural disasters in calendar year 2022 have the resources they need to rebuild their lives and their communities.”

This assistance is greatly needed in parts of Eastern Kentucky that were heavily impacted by historic flooding in 2022.

“We made a promise that we’d be there for Eastern Kentucky for the entire rebuilding process,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “These funds will be a major help in keeping that promise. Thanks to Dr. Carew and USDA Rural Development for providing relief and hope to our people and communities as we work toward a brighter future.”

Eligible applicants include rurally located public bodies, and nonprofit organizations. 

Funds may be used to: 

• repair damaged water infrastructure.  
• develop resiliency to reduce long-term risks from future disasters. 

The following Kentucky counties have 2022 presidentially declared disaster areas:

Boyd County Breathitt County Carter County Casey County Christian County Clay County Cumberland County Floyd County Green County Harlan County Johnson County Knott County Lawrence County

Lee County Leslie County Letcher County Lincoln County Magoffin County Martin County Owsley County Perry County Pike County Powell County Taylor County Whitley County Wolfe County

Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

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$74,217,000  in Funding Available to Kentucky from Investing in America Agenda to Clean Up Legacy Pollution and Reclaim Abandoned Mine Lands

The Department of the Interior today announced that nearly $725 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is available to 22 states and the Navajo Nation to create good-paying jobs and catalyze economic opportunity by reclaiming abandoned coal mine lands. The law provides a total of $11.3 billion in abandoned mine land (AML) funding over 15 years, which will help communities clean up dangerous environmental conditions and pollution caused by past coal mining. This funding is expected to enable reclamation of the majority of current inventoried abandoned mine lands in this country.

This is the second allotment of funding through the program. Nearly $725 million was allocated in the first year. With this funding, states have started planning, hiring and construction, including on projects that will protect homes and infrastructure from subsidence and landslides, create new recreation opportunities, and clean up streams polluted with acid mine drainage.

“The Biden-Harris administration stands shoulder-to-shoulder with states and Tribal Nations in repairing the damage left by legacy coal mining,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “Through the President’s Investing in America agenda, we are making the largest investment in abandoned mine reclamation in history, which will create good-paying jobs for current and former coal workers, help revitalize local economies, and advance environmental justice. These smart investments will build a cleaner, healthier and more just future for our children and grandchildren.”

“These historic investments are all part of the Administration’s all-of-government approach to support communities as they address the lingering impacts of extractive industries and transition to a clean energy future,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Laura Daniel-Davis. “To help address these dangerous hazards and toxic pollution that continues to have an impact on our communities, we encourage all eligible states and Tribes to submit grant applications.”

AML reclamation projects support vitally needed jobs by investing in projects that close dangerous mine shafts, reclaim unstable slopes, prevent releases of harmful gases including methane, improve water quality by treating acid mine drainage, and restore water supplies damaged by mining. AML reclamation projects also enable economic revitalization by rehabilitating hazardous land so that it can be used for recreational facilities or other economic redevelopment uses like advanced manufacturing and renewable energy deployment.

This funding opportunity advances the Biden-Harris administration’s unprecedented investments in communities and workers to support an equitable transition to a sustainable economy and healthier environment after the closure of mines or power plants. This effort also advances the President’s commitment to environmental justice and the Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain climate and clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities.

The notice of funding opportunity follows the release of final guidance for how States and Tribes can apply for this historic funding. States and Tribes that apply for the funding are encouraged to:

• Prioritize projects that invest in disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution, consistent with the President’s Justice40 Initiative.
• Incorporate public review and comment into the selection of projects to be funded.
• Prioritize eligible projects to maximize the amount of methane emissions that can be reduced.
• Prioritize the employment of current and former coal industry workers.

Applications for the FY2023 BIL AML funds must be submitted in the GrantSolutions website.

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U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Kentucky State Director Dr. Tom Carew today announced the availability of grants to help people repair their homes that were damaged by historic flooding and other destructive weather in 2022.

The homes must be located in Presidentially declared disaster areas. People living in 26 Kentucky counties are eligible for the funding.

“Destructive weather like the historic flooding that impacted Eastern Kentucky destroyed homes and further exacerbated the affordable housing crisis in the region,” said Carew. “That’s why the Biden-Harris administration and USDA stand ready to help thousands across rural Kentucky access the resources they need to rebuild their homes, their communities and their lives. We do this work because we know that rural America is home to millions of people who make up America’s spirit and character.”

The grants are being made available through supplemental disaster funding under the Rural Disaster Home Repair Grant Program. Through this program, people may apply to receive grants of up to $40,675 directly from USDA to repair their homes.

Learn more about how the funds may be used, eligibility requirements, and eligible counties at the full news release.

For more information on how to apply, contact Rural Development Kentucky’s Single-Family Housing team at 859-224-7322 or visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-page/kentucky-contacts to find your local Rural Development office.

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USDA Has Funding Available to Help Rural Communities Improve Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

Last year, more than 2.5 million rural residents and businesses benefitted from improved water and wastewater infrastructure thanks to financial assistance from USDA. The Department provided over $2 billion in financing for 640 rural water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

Whether you need to build, expand, or renovate your system, USDA has funds available now in the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program.

Program Highlights

• Projects must be in a rural area with a population of 10,000 or less
• Eligible applicants may be public bodies, nonprofits, or Federally-recognized Tribes
• Low interest rate funding can be combined with grants to keep user costs reasonable
• Longer financing terms are available with typical projects financed over 40 years
• Applications are accepted on a continuous basis and may be filed electronically using RD Apply.

Contact our State Offices for more details and interest rates applicable for your project.

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Finding Funding for Nature-Based Projects Just Got a Little Bit Easier

Announcing a new searchable database for communities interested in funding nature-based infrastructure solutions

The National Wildlife Federation has launched a new microsite FundingNatureBasedSolutions.nwf.org, that aims to easily connect community planners and other stakeholders with sources of federal funding for infrastructure projects that incorporate natural elements. 

The site allows users to search and sort the more than 70 types of federal grants that fund nature-based restoration solutions based on factors such as eligible recipients, project purpose, and the match required.  It also provides information about the typical application cycles, and contact information for each program. 

Recent legislation, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework and the Inflation Reduction Act, created several new funding streams for nature-based projects and augmented existing programs’ funding for broad purposes such as flood protection, water quality improvement, disaster recovery and transportation resilience.  The website will be updated regularly as the funding sources available evolve. 

Visit the National Wildlife Federation Media Center NWF.org/News.

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Green Infrastructure Funding Microsite

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) launched a new funding microsite for communities interested in pursuing federal funding and/or technical assistance for nature-based solutions and green infrastructure projects. The interactive database allows users to search and sort the more than 70 types of federal grants that fund nature-based solutions based on factors such as eligible recipients, project purpose, and the match required. It also provides information about the typical application cycles, and contact information for each program.

Access the database here: FundingNatureBasedSolutions.nwf.org

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PROGRAM UPDATES

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FY22-29 NEHRP Strategic Plan 

Over the past three years, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program — composed of the National Institute of Science and Technology, National Science Foundation, United States Geological Survey and FEMA— collaborated to produce a Strategic Plan. This legislative requirement is now final after Office of Management and Budget clearance.

The plan can be found on the NEHRP.gov.  NEHRP will now use the document to create a management plan.

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FEMA Releases Updated HMA Guidance

FEMA released updated and consolidated guidance to help grant applicants successfully navigate its mitigation grant programs to enhance climate resiliency. Following a multi-year effort and robust community engagement, FEMA updated the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide to reduce complexities and increase stakeholder accessibility to resilience grant programs. This is the first update to the guide since 2015, and it now incorporates climate change and future conditions, equity, building codes, capability and capacity building, nature-based solutions and community lifelines as key principles for its grant programs. It also covers a new program created since the last version, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC). State, local, tribal and territorial governments can use the guide to help them through the Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant lifecycle process.

 FEMA will be offering several webinars and developed materials that offer more information about the updated guide. Anyone interested in attending may register here.

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FEMA’s National Mitigation Planning Policy Updates Go Into Effect

In April 2022, FEMA released updates to the State and Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guides (policies) including a Spanish translation of the Local Guide. The policies went into effect April 19, 2023 for all plan approvals. This means hazard mitigation plans approved on or after April 19th must meet the requirements of the updated policies.

The policies help state and local governments create hazard mitigation plans that meet the mitigation planning requirements. The policies also promote including hazards in community planning and risk-informed decision making. Download and start using the updated policies today.

Since the release of the updated policies in April 2022, FEMA also created and revised several other resources for partners:

• The four State Mitigation Planning Key Topics Bulletins walk through the concrete ways states can update their plans in accordance with the State Policy Guide. They offer step-by-step how-tos for the planning process, risk assessment, mitigation capabilities and mitigation strategy.
• The Planning the Mitigation Program Consultation: Resources for States, D.C., and Territories toolkit helps FEMA and partners jointly plan the annual mitigation program consultation. It includes checklists to help identify agenda items and create high-impact meetings.
• This Enhanced State Validation Toolkit provides resources for FEMA and state mitigation planning partners to develop performance measures and commitments for annual validations. These validations ensure their enhanced mitigation program is on track.
• FEMA is in the process of updating its core training materials for state and local mitigation planning to incorporate the new policy information. Updated trainings will include L-329 State Hazard Mitigation Planning and L/K-318 Local Hazard Mitigation Planning. To host or request a training, contact your Regional Mitigation Planner.
• FEMA will be releasing an updated Local Mitigation Planning Handbook in Spring 2023. To be notified when it is released, sign up for our GovDelivery

FEMA looks forward to working with our state, local and territorial partners under the updated policies to create resilient communities. If you have questions on the policies, email the Mitigation Planning Program at fema-mitigation-planning@fema.dhs.gov.

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FEMA Releases NFIP Technical Bulletin 10 

FEMA is pleased to announce the release of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Technical Bulletin 10, Reasonably Safe from Flooding Requirement for Building on Filled Land Removed From the Special Flood Hazard Area in Accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program (TB 10). This publication is the latest update to the NFIP Technical Bulletin series.

TB 10 provides guidance on the NFIP requirements related to determining that buildings constructed on filled land will be reasonably safe from flooding. Guidance is provided for the placement of fill and the parameters for the design and construction of buildings on filled land that has been removed from the Special Flood Hazard Area through the flood map revision process managed by FEMA.

The major updates in TB 10 include:

• The title has been updated. It was previously Ensuring That Structures Built on Fill In or Near Special Flood Hazard Areas Are Reasonably Safe From Flooding in Accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program.
• The intent of TB 10, and when it is appropriate to use TB 10, has been clarified.
• Increased emphasis on documentation needed for a local official to make the “reasonably safe from flooding” determination.
• Additional best practices are provided.
• Grouped and reorganization of the content discussing the Technical Approaches to Seepage Analysis in Section 9.

To learn more about the eleven NFIP Technical Bulletins, visit the FEMA National Flood Insurance Technical Bulletins.

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The National Floodplain Function Alliance Wetland Mapping Consortium Strategies and Action Plan for Protecting and Restoring Wetland and Floodplain Functions

Final Report Now Available!

Since 2017, the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Foundation has collaborated with the Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM), the National Floodplain Functions Alliance, and the Wetland Mapping Consortium to provide funding and active participation in a series of four workshops, the focus of which was to:

 “Improve floodplain mapping integrating geospatial data being developed and used by the wetland mapping community to identify wetland and floodplain functions.”

Each of the first three workshops had a targeted discussion topic, which attendees discussed at length, offering their professional insights and informed opinions. 

• The first workshop – conducted in 2018 was titled “Exploring Opportunities for Integrated Mapping and Functional Assessment of Riverine and Coastal Floodplains and Wetlands.”
• The second workshop – conducted in 2019 was titled “Data Needs, GAPS and Interoperability for Integrated Mapping and Functional Assessment of Riverine and Coastal Floodplains and Wetlands.”
• The third workshop – conducted in 2021 was titled “Federal Program and Policy Changes Needed to Advance Integrated Functional Mapping of Floodplain and Wetlands for Nature – Based Solutions.”

The final workshop, which convened in 2022, was a culmination of discussions during the first three workshops, and resulted in the development of strategies and actions, which were memorialized in the January 2023 final report, titled “Strategies and an Action Plan for Protecting and Restoring Wetland and Floodplain Functions.”  The final report and summary workshops reports are available on the Reports and Publications page of the ASFPM Foundation website.

ASFPM Foundation Mission Statement Serve as the catalyst for ASFPM, its Chapters, and members to advance research, projects, education and policy initiatives, that promote reduced flood risk and resilient communities.

For more information about the National Floodplain Function Alliance Wetland Mapping Consortium, please visit website or contact Brad Anderson, ASFPM Foundation Projects Chair, at Brad.Anderson@acewater.com.

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Answers to Questions about the National Flood Insurance Program

 

 

 

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PUBLICATIONS, RESOURCES, & MOBILE TOOLS

 

 

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The latest report in the Rethinking Flood series from Marsh McLennan, Staying Above Water: A Systemic Response to Rising Flood Risk explores how the transformation of flood risk management can play out along three ways forward: Living with floods, building strategic protection, and preparing for relocation. 

Underpinned by new data from the Marsh McLennan Flood Risk Index, the report first discusses risk drivers, escalating impacts, and inadequacies of current risk management strategies — offering a strong rationale for urgent action. It then sets out guiding principles for resilience and presents examples of innovative strategies from different geographies to illustrate how the transformation can be realized. The report concludes with a call to action by proposing concrete steps to overcome inertia and mobilize stakeholder action by leveraging critical enablers across governance and risk culture, land use and infrastructure, finance, and insurance.

Download Staying Above Water: A Systemic Response to Rising Flood Risk.  

Catch up on previous reports in the series:

Sunk Costs: The Socioeconomic Impacts of Flooding is the first report in the series, analyzing the current state of flood risk globally, its economic and societal consequences, and the role of insurance in protecting the most vulnerable.

Preparing for a Wetter World: Strategies for Corporate Flood Resilience explores the implications of flood risk for businesses and discusses how firms can reimagine their approach to flood risk management in the context of climate change, growing business complexity, and stakeholder management.

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Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions

FEMA published a new report: Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions. It highlights five key strategies for implementing successful nature-based solution projects to advance natural hazard mitigation and climate adaptation: 

• Building Strong Partnerships
• Engaging the Whole Community
• Matching Project Size With Desired Goals and Benefits
• Maximizing Benefits
• Designing for the Future

Download here

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New Elevation Certificate Fact Sheet

Last month FEMA published a new Elevation Certificate fact sheet for property owners. This fact sheet explains how an Elevation Certificate is useful in the new Risk Rating 2.0 insurance premium rating methodology, how it is used for construction and regulatory purposes, and how to obtain an Elevation Certificate. Download fact sheet

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Resilience Matters from Island Press Urban Resilience Project

Island Press e-book offers climate resilient solutions for building a greener, fairer future

For those who care about sustainability and equity, 2022 brought plenty of good news. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, American Rescue Plan, and the Biden Administration’s Justice40 initiative, money is—finally—flowing to climate change mitigation and resilience in hard-hit communities.

But the devil, as they say, is in the details. Now that more funding is available, it’s important to make sure it is spent wisely and goes where it’s needed most. In 2022, contributors to the Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) dug into the details, devising concrete plans for collective action to build a greener, fairer future. Those ideas—originally published as articles, op-eds, and interviews—have now been collected in the latest edition of our e-book series Resilience Matters, available below at no cost.   

Download Resilience Matters: Resilience Matters: Collective Action for Healthier Communities

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USGS Mobile Flood Tool

Safety Tips – To sign up to receive general information about how to prepare for any type of disaster, text PREPARE to 43362.  To sign up for disaster specific safety tips, text one of the keywords below to 43362:

Have questions? Contact us at help@kymitigation.org.

KAMM mailing address: KAMM, PO Box 1016, Frankfort, KY 40602-1016.  

 

Don’t forget to join the KAMM group on LinkedIn and Facebook.

KAMM is a non-profit 501 (c) (3)

 

 

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