Bonner Announces $1.3 Million in FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Funds for Home Buyout Project in Mobile
Bonner Announces $1.3 Million in FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Funds for Home Buyout Project in Mobile
U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL) today announced the award of funding to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The grant, totaling $1,345,796, is being made available through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and will be used to acquire twenty three homes in Mobile that were substantially damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
"I am extremely pleased FEMA has approved this funding for the Alabama Emergency Management Agency," Bonner said. "This kind of project is the foundation of disaster prevention efforts and illustrates the importance of local, state, and federal governments working together to provide a greater degree of safety and protection for our area."
These homes, which were damaged by Hurricane Katrina, are all located within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). The homes are located in the central area of Mobile, within the Dog River Watershed, and are not contained in one subdivision. The general area is bound by Interstate 65 to the west, US Highway 90 to the north, State Road 163 (Dauphin Island Parkway) to the east, and Venetia Road to the south. The property acquisition is voluntary.
Through HMGP, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the eligible project costs. The city of Mobile and participating homeowners will contribute the remaining 25 percent. Federal mitigation projects are administered by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.
Hazard mitigation planning is an important aspect of a successful mitigation program. States and communities use the hazard mitigation planning process to set short and long-range mitigation goals and objectives. Hazard mitigation planning is a collaborative process whereby hazards affecting the community are identified, vulnerability to the hazards is assessed, and consensus is reached on how to minimize or eliminate the effects of these hazards.
http://bonner.house.gov/HoR/AL01/Press+Office/Press+Releases/2007/Bonner+Announces+1.3+Million+in+FEMA+Hazard+Mitigation+Grant+Funds+for+Home+Buyout+Project+in+Mobile.htm