News Flash

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has received a subgrant application for the City of Homestead, Florida. Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 and 44 CFR Part 9.12, notice is hereby given of FEMA’s intent to provide funding for this project under the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), federal actions must be reviewed and evaluated for feasible alternatives and for social, economic, historic, environmental, legal, and safety considerations. - Executive Order (EO) 11988 and EO 11990 requires FEMA to consider alternatives - and provide a public notice of any proposed actions in or affecting floodplains or wetlands. EO 12898 requires FEMA to provide the opportunity for public participation in the planning process and to consider potential impacts to minority and low-income populations. This notice may also fulfill requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

President Biden issued new Executive Orders 13985 and 14008 in January 2021 to further address the need to achieve environmental justice and equity across the federal government. The issuance of the new executive orders more than 20 years after Executive Order 12898 was signed indicates the administration’s directive to federal agencies to renew their energy, effort, resources, and attention to environmental justice. FEMA is working with applicants/subapplicants to identify communities with Environmental Justice concerns and provide an avenue for local groups and non-profits with an Environmental Justice mission to self-identify so that FEMA Programs can start to work with them on specific projects from the beginning of the application process.

This notice serves as a project‐specific notice for FEMA’s funding action located within a mapped floodplain. FEMA has determined the only practicable alternative is to fund the proposed pump station and sewer line improvements including the installation of a generator. Funding for the proposed project will be conditional upon compliance with all applicable federal, tribal, state and local laws, regulations, floodplain standards, permit requirements and conditions. This action complies with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements.

Responsible Entity:   FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)

Applicant:                  City of Homestead

Project Title(s):          City of Homestead BRIC FY22 - Pump Station Hardening

Location of Proposed Work and Floodplain Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Panels:

Preliminary FIRM Panel effective date: 2/25/2021. Site is located within a Zone AE mapped floodplain. Site is not located within or adjacent to wetlands. [https://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Data/Mapper.html]

Proposed Work and Purpose: The City of Homestead (City) proposes to make improvements to the existing pump station #22 (25.470160, -80.462787) that will require new pumping units with mechanical, electrical, and structural upgrades. A new wet well, backup generator on a new concrete slab, new valve box, and new control panel all will be installed within the existing pump station area. The new wet well will require deeper excavation than the existing wet well. The maximum depth of new ground disturbance will be 9 feet. Additionally, the City proposes to install 4,790 linear feet of 20-inch diameter DIP discharge force main from the pump station #22 along East Mowry Drive, then south along Southeast 6th Avenue, then west at the northeast entrance to the WWTP approximately 720-feet north of the intersection with East Lucy Street, then south within the Wastewater Treatment Plant Influent Pump Station (25.463433, -80.469857). The existing pump station and driveway will act as the staging area. Once work is completed, the driveway will be returned to pre-construction condition. All project components shall be protected against potential flood hazards and comply with applicable National Flood Insurance Program requirements.

Project Alternatives:

1. No action alternative – This alternative would result risking sewer services cut or hindered during and after disasters.
2. Rent portable generator – This alternative would provide the backup functions necessary to continue critical response operations. Although, the costs would outweigh the benefits as fuel and rental costs over time would surpass the cost of buying a new generator. Additionally, the portable generator would have to be rented out, deployed, and hooked up increasing efforts and amount of time to get the backup power in place.
3. Relocate the pump station – This alternative isn’t deemed practicable due to the high costs to acquiring property, realigning existing sewer infrastructure to the new location, and ability to find a property that is located outside a mapped floodplain.
4. Purchase a new generator to replace the existing, out-of-service generator – The proposed alternative to purchase and install a new generator that is protected from the 0.2% annual chance or 500-year flood event and protected against hurricane force winds.