BOARD02451

• Board Meeting Date: 3/10/1998
• Description: Flood Section - 1997 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORI\DO

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Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
721 Centennial Building
1313 Sherman Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone, [phone]
FAX, [phone]

MEMORANDUM

TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

FROM: Larry Lang

DATE: February 27, 1998

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 4~March 10-11, 1998 Board Meeting-
1997 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

BACKGROUND

Upon issuance of a federal disaster declaration, the Robert T. Stafford Act requires that
fifteen percent (I5%) of all federal assistance dollars be set aside for the Hazard
Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The HMGP encourages implementation of
mitigation activities and projects that will reduce future flood damages. Examples of
projects include I) acquisition of floodprone structures, 2) elevation of structures above
the flood protection level, 3) early warning systems, and 4) structural flood control
projects such as channelization, bank stabilization, etc.

DISCUSSION

As lead agency for the federal disaster declaration, the Colorado Department of Local
Affairs was initially advised by FEMA Region 8 that $2.7 million would be available for
the HMGP. It was decided by DOLA and the CWCB that the funding would best be used
to implement flood mitigation projects in areas impacted by flooding in 1997.

DOLA's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) requested that the CWCB take the
lead in preparing HMGP applications. Eight projects in seven communities were invited
to submit full HMGP applications following a Notice ofInterest (NO!) process. Near the
end of the application preparation process (January 1998) , OEM was advised by FEMA
that the "official" HMGP dollar allocation had been revised downward to $2.0 million.
This reduction was the result of insurance loss settlements from flood damage at
Colorado State University. This put DOLA and CWCB staffin the unenviable position
of having to advise HMGP applications of the development and loss of funds. To reduce

Roy Romer
Governor

James S. Lochhead
Executive Director, DNR

Daries C. Lile, P.E.
Director, ewes