Flood Mitigation Program

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant application

To: All interested Federal and State Agencies, Local Groups and Individuals- Public Notice

Posted Date: 09/13/2023

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) have received an application for Federal grant funding from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) through the Hazard Mitigation Program (HGMP). Funding for this grant was made available after the 4241 Presidential declaration following the Severe Storms and Flooding. Funding for the proposed project will be conditional upon compliance with all applicable federal, tribal, state and local laws, regulations, flood plain standards, permit requirements and conditions.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Federal actions must be reviewed and evaluated for feasible alternatives and for social, economic, historic, environmental, and legal and safety considerations. Under executive order (EO) 11988 and EO 11990 FEMA is required to consider alternatives to, and to provide public notice of, any proposed actions in or affecting floodplains and wetlands. EO 12898 also requires FEMA to provide the opportunity for public participation in the planning process and to consider potential impacts to minority or low income populations.

Applicant: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Project: Extreme Precipitation and Flood Alert System
Project location: The weather station will be installed on Botany Bay, Edisto Island, SC, otherwise the development of the alert system has no specific location required.

Project Description: The project will include a cost-effective solution for alerting the public to extreme precipitation events and potential flood hazards, aiding in disaster preparation, response, and mitigation planning efforts. The heavy precipitation and flood alert message should include the location and watershed exceeding a precipitation or average recurrence threshold, map of the location, high-resolution quantitative precipitation estimates, maps of the extreme precipitation, precipitation gauge measurements, watershed average precipitation, list of historical events with similar return period precipitation amounts, hydrographs of nearby streamflow gauges, National Weather Service watches and warnings, and forecast precipitation information. This information should be available on a developed website and distributed via text messaging to key decision-makers.

The project will also include the installation of an automated weather station on Botany Bay, Edisto Island, SC, that will help fill a void in hourly weather data that exists between Charleston and Beaufort.

Alternatives Considered: Alternatives for this project which have been considered and rejected:

1. No Action
2. The use of National Weather Service flood warnings, advisories, and alerts which provide general guidance primarily for large river systems and flash flooding based on public reports and data. This alternative does not offer user-defined warnings and alerts to individuals for a specific location or area of interest (e.g., dam owners, local municipalities, counties, or organizations).

SCDNR will be responsible for facilitating and monitoring the proposed project. Interested persons may review project files, including maps, or direct any comments or questions to Hope Mizzell at (803) 734-9568 or written questions to mizzellh@dnr.sc.gov. These are due within 21 days of this notice.

Final Notice and Public Explanation of a Proposed Activity in a 100 Year Floodplain