[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 6 (Monday, January 10, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1389-1390]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-509]
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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Notice of Distribution of Funds To Address Unmet Needs Resulting
From Presidentially Declared Disasters
AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: FEMA announces a second allocation of Fiscal Year (FY) 2000
funds for grants to States to address disaster-related needs not met by
Federal disaster relief programs. These funds are available to certain
States for use in communities that have experienced presidentially
declared major disasters in FY 1999. The funds will be allocated to
States (grantees) for distribution in communities affected by the
disasters.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice is effective January 10, 2000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert F. Shea, Jr., Director, Program
Support Division, Mitigation Directorate, Federal Emergency Management
Agency, 500 C Street SW., room 417, Washington, DC 20472, (telephone)
202-646-4621, (facsimile) 202-646-3104, or (email)
robert.shea@fema.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 21, 1999, Congress appropriated $230
million to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to address
communities' unmet disaster assistance needs for Fiscal Years 1998 and
1999. In a previous notice FEMA made allocations totaling $189,665,000.
By this notice FEMA allocates an additional $39,335,000. Congress
instructed FEMA to award these funds expeditiously to States for use in
eligible communities. Pub. L. 106-31, Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1999, requires the publication of a
notice governing the allocation and use of these funds.
Authority: Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal
Year 1999, Pub. L. 106-31, 113 Stat. 74.
Eligible applicants: States are to use these funds to benefit
communities affected by presidentially-declared major disasters between
January 1, 1999 and May 21, 1999, including Native American tribes. The
latter date is the date of enactment of the appropriations bill that
provides the funds for this effort.
State emergency management organizations (grantees) will administer
these grants in conjunction with their administration of FEMA disaster
assistance programs.
Availability of funds: By this notice funds are allocated to the
following States that experienced disasters between January 1, 1999 and
May 21, 1999: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa,
Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee,
Texas and Wyoming.
Allocations: The allocations are as follows:
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Disaster
State No. Allocation
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Alabama......................................... 1261 $3,532,104
Arkansas........................................ 1266 1,194,098
California...................................... 1267 4,310,428
Colorado........................................ 1276 6,064,742
Georgia......................................... 1271 51,241
Iowa............................................ 1277 3,446,853
Kansas.......................................... 1273 4,426,195
Louisiana....................................... 1264 5,511,911
Louisiana....................................... 1269 557,948
Maine........................................... 1263 1,192,193
Mississippi..................................... 1265 4,569,973
Missouri........................................ 1270 1,273,588
Oklahoma........................................ 1272 1,012,570
Tennessee....................................... 1260 89,190
Tennessee....................................... 1262 253,580
Tennessee....................................... 1275 54,214
Texas........................................... 1274 307,671
Wyoming......................................... 1268 1,486,502
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Total........................................... ......... 39,335,000
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We will provide an application package to States that receive
allocations. States will submit applications to us indicating the
proposed use of the funds. We will make awards up to the amount of the
allocation after we make an expedited review of the State application
package.
The application will require additional information and data that
was used by the States in identifying the amount of their unmet needs
in the submission to FEMA. This additional information and data must be
specific and include supporting documentation. To the extent that we
deem the information and data are insufficient or that they support an
ineligible activity, we will reduce the amount of the initial
allocation accordingly.
Correction to the Federal Register Notice of August 6, 1999. The
August 6, 1999 Notice indicated that $40,000 of Florida's grant for
unmet needs related to Disaster 1249 was to be directed to the Poarch
Band of Creek Indians. We have since determined that the tribe's land
is primarily in the State of Alabama; this is notice to the affected
States that we have re-directed $40,000 from Florida to Alabama, and
that we have adjusted each State's total allocation commensurately. We
have notified each State separately of this action through official
correspondence.
[[Page 1390]]
Alabama will administer the tribe's grant.
Grant requirements/Use of funds. The purpose of these funds is to
provide to the extent possible for unmet needs that are the direct
result of presidentially declared major disasters in Fiscal Years 1998
and 1999. States (grantees) and subrecipients must use these funds for
activities for which there is no available funding through FEMA, the
Small Business Administration, or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The funds can be used only for unmet needs for the purposes of
mitigation, buyout assistance, disaster relief, and long-term recovery.
We urge States to use funding in all categories in a manner that will
reduce future disaster related costs.
The State must administer any funding used for buyouts or
mitigation activities by the State consistent with the intent of the
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. For example, States must ensure that
mitigation and buy-out activities are cost effective and that they will
restrict the use of acquired properties in the same manner as under the
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
Environmental review. The State and FEMA will complete an
environmental review for all activities. Generally these reviews must
be completed before beginning projects. Applicants for funding under
this program will be responsible for preparing environmental
documentation, conducting appropriate consultation with authoritative
State agencies, and forwarding the results of such documentation and
consultation to us for final review and approval to enable us to ensure
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the National
Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, and all other
Federal environmental statutes and Executive Orders. Costs to prepare
documentation and conduct consultation are eligible project costs and
should be included within the budgeted project cost. FEMA has retained
a small amount of the available unmet needs funds to pay for additional
environmental review, if it is necessary.
Cost share. Each State must provide an assurance that there will be
not less than 25 percent in non-Federal funds, or equivalent value, to
match unmet needs funds. Funds provided under this Act cannot be used
as the non-Federal match for other Federal funds nor can other Federal
funds be used as the required non-Federal match for these funds.
Allowable costs. States may use up to 7% of these funds for costs
to administer or manage the grant. Administrative and management costs
should be included in the State's application. Further guidance on
allowable costs for states and subgrantees can be found in Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars on the Cost Principles.
State and local governments should consult OMB Circular A-
87.
Private Non-Profit organizations should consult OMB
Circular A-122.
Educational institutions should consult OMB Circular A-21.
Reports. States will provide quarterly progress and financial
reports to us within 30 days after the end of each Federal quarter. We
will include the suggested format for these reports and exact due dates
in the application package. The report must include specific
information on actual projects funded during that quarter and the needs
for which the funds were provided for each of those projects.
Evaluation process: Our regional offices will review State
applications and quarterly progress reports to determine whether
activities fall within the four eligible categories and that other
Federal disaster relief programs do not already address them.
We use a system in which mitigation (including buyout assistance)
is our priority, followed by long-term recovery and other unmet needs
are generally categorized as disaster relief. States may submit unmet
needs in any category, but we will emphasize mitigation and buyout
assistance. We will determine other unmet needs (disaster relief and
long-term recovery) based on State submissions. We will ask for reviews
by appropriate Federal agencies so as to avoid duplication of existing
Federal programs.
Based on the congressional action to place these funds under our
disaster authorities, E.O. 12372 review procedures do not apply.
Application Submission and Deadline
We will mail application packages to States that are allocated
funds in this notice. States should complete the application package
and return it to our regional office listed in material that they
receive.
Applications are due on or before 30 calendar days from the receipt
of the application package that we send. Unless we receive a request
for an extension we will reallocate funds from States that have not
submitted an application by the due date.
Dated: January 4, 2000.
James L. Witt,
Director.
[FR Doc. 00-509 Filed 1-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-05-P
