Pre-Disaster Mitigation Competitive (PDM-C) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)

FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Competitive (PDM-C) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant programs for FY 2010 will provide funds to states, territories, Federal and State-recognized Native American (Indian) tribes, communities, colleges and universities for pre-disaster mitigation planning and the implementation of cost-effective mitigation projects prior to a disaster event. The purpose of these grant programs is to reduce the overall risk to people, homes and other structures while reducing reliance on funding from future disaster declarations. PDM-C is a nationally competitive grant program, while FMA projects are selected at the FEMA Region 1 level.

Funds: Approximately $100 million will be available nationwide for project grants, technical assistance, and program support for PDM as part of the FY 2010 Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance program. Each state is allocated $500,000 as a set-aside, provided the submitted applications meet all FEMA eligibility requirements and are selected by the state and FEMA National Review panels. Availability of PDM funds and funding amounts are dependent upon Congressional appropriation and reauthorization. States are not limited to the set-aside amount ($500,000) and may potentially receive additional funds depending upon the quality of the applications. For FMA, Vermont is allocated $100,000, although additional funds may be made available from other state’s unused allocations. PDM grants are to be awarded by FEMA on a nationally competitive basis.

Eligible Activities: Mitigation planning: $800,000 cap on Federal share for new plans, not to exceed a 3 year performance period; up to $400,000 Federal share available for plan updates
Mitigation projects: $3 million cap on Federal share, not to exceed 3 years performance period
Information dissemination activities: not to exceed 10%; activities must pertain directly to a planning or project application
Sub-applicant management costs: not to exceed 5% of total project costs
Cost-share ratio: 75% Federal share, with a 25% local match requirement. Small and impoverished communities may be eligible for up to a 90% Federal cost share amount in the PDM grant program only.

Sub-applicant Eligibility: State-level agencies, Federal and state recognized Native American tribal governments, local governments, public colleges and universities are eligible to apply to for assistance. Private non-profit organizations and private colleges and universities are not eligible. However, a relevant state agency or local government may apply to Vermont Emergency Management for assistance on their behalf.

NFIP Participation: All Applicants must be participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) if they have been identified as having a Special Flood Hazard Area (i.e. a Flood Hazard Boundary Map or Flood Insurance Rate Map has been issued). In addition, the Applicant/Sub-applicant must not be on probation, suspended or withdrawn from the NFIP. However, applicants that are not mapped under the NFIP are eligible.

Mitigation Plan Requirement: Applicants must have a FEMA-approved local mitigation plan by the application deadline in order to receive project grants. However, PDM planning grants will continue to be available to Applicants that do not have a FEMA-approved mitigation plan to enable them to meet the planning requirements.

Letters of Intent: Vermont Emergency Management (VEM) requests that those towns/agencies intending to submit a PDM or FMA application should first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer no later than Monday, August 3, 2009. For a sample LOI, please see the VEM website at: www.dps.state.vt.us/vem or the attachment to this announcement.

Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA): This is a very important part of the application process. Applicants needing assistance in completing their BCA may contact the local Regional Planning Commission. Some benefit-cost assistance may also be provided by Vermont Emergency Management. BCA workshops may also be provided in the fall of 2009.

E-Grants: PDM-C and FMA applications must be submitted electronically through FEMA’s E-Grants portal at https://portal.fema.gov. Only those applications submitted through E-Grants will be accepted. Those indicating an interest in applying will be issued a valid user name and password by Vermont Emergency Management. Previously issued user names and passwords for E-Grants may be used. Applicants must provide an original and two copies of any paper supporting documentation that cannot be electronically attached to an E-Grants application (e.g. engineering drawings, maps, photos, etc).
Mitigation Grant guidance may be downloaded from FEMA’s website at: www.fema.gov/government/grant/hma/index.shtm

Deadline for Applications: Completed applications must be submitted electronically to Vermont Emergency Management through FEMA’s E-Grants portal no later than close of business on Monday, November 16, 2009. Applications submitted past the deadline will not be accepted.
Other Grant Programs: If you are unsuccessful in receiving a PDM-C or FMA grant, your application may be considered under a different FEMA grant program, e.g. the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). Please contact VEM for additional details on these grant programs.

All submitted grant applications are subject to prior review and selection by the State Hazard Mitigation Project Selection committee.

If you have any questions concerning eligibility requirements for FEMA grant programs or if you need further assistance, contact please feel free to contact Ray Doherty at Vermont Emergency Management.

Contact: Ray Doherty, State Hazard Mitigation Officer
Vermont Emergency Management
103 South Main Street
Waterbury, VT 05671
Tel (802) 241-5258
Fax (802) 241-5556
E-mail: rdoherty@dps.state.vt.us

Density and Design for Small Communities

SAVE THE DATE for the Vermont Planners Association Fall Conference!

This year it will be held on October 16, 2009 at the ALL SOULS INTERFAITH GATHERING CENTER right on the shore of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, VT.

The focus will be on Density and Design for Small Communities with speakers and panelists to be announced.

A reception will be held immediately following, right around the corner at the Shelburne Vineyard, hosted by owners Ken and Gail Albert.

DFIRM update June 2009

Late-breaking news! The Washington County DFIRM maps should become effective in September 2010. HOWEVER, it is Vermont's Flood Plain Management-River Management Program's goal for all towns to have adopted flood hazard area regulations (FHAR) by the end of MARCH 2010 thereby preventing a "flood" of regs for approval by FEMA in September. The FHAR's will need to be reviewed by Vermont's Flood Plain Management staff before submitting them to FEMA. As a result, the State needs some lead time, too. Regarding the DFIRM's and getting the process on its way, the final community coordination meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, July 27. Further details are forthcoming, but it is anticipated that the meeting will be held in Waterbury at the Skylight conference room at the State Complex from 2 to 4 p.m. and a second meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Please call CVRPC at 229-0389 for further details, come back to our blog before July 27 and read our lastest update, or call Ned Swanberg, VT's Flood Plain Management staff, at 802/241-4596 or ned.swanberg@state.vt.us. CVRPC will post more as soon as we know more "firm" information!

Fire Station Grants

Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released grant guidance for assistance for firefighting station construction. The purpose of this FY 09 ARRA money is to improve firefighter safety and response capability/capacity based on need through the construction, renovation, or modification of fire stations. Non-Federal fire departments and state and local governments that fund/operate fire departments are eligible for station construction grants (SCG). Awards are limited per project to $5 million. No allocations are made within the total appropriation for new construction versus renovation; each will compete on the same funding priorities and rating criteria. Applications will be reviewed in late August or early September. It is expected that 60 to 80 projects will be funded with $210 million available nationwide. Application and guidance kits are available at http://www.fema.gov/grants and www.grants.gov. For additional information, contact Chris Rizzuto at 202/786-9450, Andrew White at 202/786-9452, or Mike Cappannari at 202/447-5457.

Composting is Cool

At the April Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission’s monthly Commission meeting, Buzz Ferver of the Composting Association of Vermont (CAV) discussed all the benefits of compost, the need for community scale composting operations and the latest development in legislation related to composting.

According to CAV’s website “the Composting Association of Vermont supports and promotes organics recycling that protects and benefits the environment. We advocate for the production and use of compost as a vital link between soil health and sustainable agriculture and communities. When organic materials are recycled into products of value everyone benefits.” For more information about composting and the Composting Association of Vermont visit: www.compostingvermont.org

The Calais Town Plan recieved regional approval, and a request for assistance from Montpelier and the Montpelier Senior Center to study the feasibility of a regional community/senior center were also discussed at the April meeting. Monthly Commission meetings are held at the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce, second Tuesday of each month at 7pm (except in August). Meetings are open to the public and are televised on Comcast, Charter, and Waitsfield Telecom cable stations.

2009 Housing & Wages Report

The latest "Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Housing and Wages in Vermont" in now available.
According to the April 28 press release distributed by John Fairbanks, VHFA, this year's report found:

• The median purchase price of a home in Vermont has remained stable in the last year, at $200,000.
• A Vermont household would need an annual income of $63,000, as well as $14,000 for a downpayment and closing costs, to afford that home.
• The median household income in Vermont is just under $52,000, enough to afford a $163,000 home.
• The Fair Market Rent for a modest two-bedroom home is more than $900 a month, and more than half of Vermont’s workforce earns less than the $36,550 needed to afford that rent.
• Vermont’s rental housing market is the tightest in the nation, and its homeownership market is the fourth-tightest.

The report also identifies the current housing wage on a county-by-county level. The housing wage is the amount a family would have to earn to afford a 2-bedroom fair market rent apartment. In Washington County the 2009 housing wage is $16.04, up from $14.67 last year.

A copy of the report is available for download from the Housing Awareness Campaign's website at http://www.housingawareness.org/publications/housing-wages-2009.pdf. For additional housing data visit: housingdata.org.

2010 Census is Coming!

Beginning this month, U.S. Census employees will visit every community in preparation for the 2010 census. By visiting addresses in every community, the Census Bureau will know where to send questionnaires and enumerators in 2010. Using hand-held computers, Census employees will walk through communities to identify the location of every housing unit. This helps the Census Bureau build an up-to-date address list and maps that serve as the backbone of the 2010 census. For more information, please visit www.census.gov