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<br />- --- - <br /> <br />- ---. <br /> <br />1M :l:.~: s.. ..9_ ....u · R~ _ _ <br />Missouri is another state that falls prey to flooding and knows the value of mitigation, <br />especially places like the city of Neosho. Although far removed from the Mississippi <br />and Missouri Rivers, Neosho has had its share of flooding long before the Great Flood <br />of 1993. With the help of the u.s. Department of Agriculture and the Natural Re- <br />sources Conservation Service (NRCS), the city determined that what it needed was a <br />buyout program to acquire flood-prone properties and new floodwater retention <br />dams. <br /> <br />The problem, as usual, was money. With the help of the State Emergency Manage- <br />ment Agency, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, and FEMA, the city <br />was able to fund its desperately needed watershed plan. The city was able to volun- <br />tarily acquire 52 residential properties in the floodplain. The program was so success- <br />ful and well received that the community has gone further, passing a sales tax to <br />support storm drainage projects and financing bonds to complete the buy-out pro- <br />gram. Meanwhile, other property owners have approached the city on their own <br />requesting a buyout. <br /> <br />The city is proud of what it has accomplished. A partnership, a program, and persis- <br />tence by city officials has forever changed the way the city deals with its flood risk. <br />The future savings to the local community, the state and the federal government will <br />be great. Even more important is the fact that 52 families in the city of Neosho will <br />never have to experience the devastation of a flood again. <br /> <br />r - - -- - -. -- -- -w <br />I~..:..E.._\!V_~. E. R. S.~. Y.. --- ___ _ 'If <br />Following the 1992 Coastal Storm, the New Jersey governor established a true <br />interagency state hazard mitigation team, unique in that the governor's office co- <br />chairs the team with the state hazard mitigation officer. The team's main function is <br />to develop a systematic program to identify hazards, monitor changes in hazard <br />vulnerability and implement measures to reduce potential damages. <br /> <br />The interagency approach has been critical in setting the state's policy on natural <br />hazard risk reduction. Members of the team have been involved in rewriting the <br />state's coastal development regulations and in establishing the state's Coastal Blue <br />Acres Program. This program, established and funded by legislation, created a $15 <br />million grant program to acquire repetitively damaged property following a disaster as <br />well as the acquisition of developable lands in high hazard areas. An additional $15 <br />million was also appropriated for the acquisition of property in the high hazard areas <br />in the Passaic River Basin. <br /> <br />In addition, the state hazard mitigation team has implemented a strong outreach <br />strategy including workshops and seminars to assist local officials with mitigation <br />planning and development. These workshops will help local communities comply <br />with the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program and help officials make better mitiga- <br />tion policy. In 1998, seven communities completed and received approval for flood <br />mitigation plans. These same communities are now seeking FMA project grant funds <br />to elevate approximately 40 repetitive loss homes in the states high hazard coastal <br />areas. New Jersey is demonstrating how important it is to plan ahead and mitigate <br />against disaster. <br /> <br />I Investing in Our Future: Report on Trends in State Mitigation Spending l...!2J <br />