FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Status Update on the Development of the Louisiana State-Specific HMGP Secondary Programmatic Agreement Louisiana Recovery Office, New Orleans, Louisiana This notice serves to update the Citizens of Louisiana regarding FEMA's efforts to execute the Louisiana State-Specific HMGP Secondary Programmatic Agreement ("Agreement") under Section 106 of The National Historic Preservation Act. Purpose of the Agreement To assure that FEMA meets its legal obligation to resolve all adverse effects to Historic Properties subject to FEMA's HMGP funding; and To execute and implement practical and effective measures to streamline Section 106 review and compliance for all FEMA HMGP-funded undertakings in Louisiana; and To allow eligible recipients of FEMA-HMGP funds to accomplish long-term hazard mitigation measures that reduce the loss of life and property from future disasters. Scope of the Agreement In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike, the State of Louisiana received $1.75 billion in HMGP funding through FEMA. The State has elected to dedicate $750 million of the $1.75 billion in HMGP funds to Louisiana's Office of Community Development (OCD) to assist private homeowners. OCD estimates that with the $750 million GOHSEP has earmarked, it will be able to fund eligible mitigation activities for up to 15,000 individual private residential properties. The completion date for funding these mitigation activities is estimated to be 2013. The State has chosen to allocate the remaining funds to eligible Sub-Grantees, such as parish governments, for hazard mitigation projects throughout the state such as: flood protection measures, retrofits of public structures, residential elevations, and acquisitions of repetitive loss properties. Section 106 Consultation Process Statusbr> Section 106 of The National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies such as FEMA to consider the effects of federally-funded projects on Historic Properties. Additionally, FEMA must provide the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) an opportunity to comment on HMGP projects prior to FEMA rendering a decision to fund the projects. Section 106 review encourages, but does not mandate, preservation. FEMA's Environmental/Historic Preservation Section of the Louisiana Recovery Office (LRO) in New Orleans, Louisiana is leading the effort to draft this Agreement to fulfill Section 106 responsibilities in consultation with the State of Louisiana and eighteen other consulting parties. Because the Section 106 process has identified HMGP projects resulting in adverse effects on Historic Properties, FEMA is working with consulting parties to develop this Agreement to treat and resolve adverse effects in a streamlined manner specifically designed for HMGP projects in Louisiana. This Agreement also addresses Section 602 of The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act which removes the March 16, 2008 limited exception deadline, precluding eligibility for any property where a Sub-Grantee's work began after that date. Completion of this Agreement to fulfill FEMA's Section 106 responsibilities is planned for January 2011. Any member of the public is encouraged to provide views on the development of the LA HMGP PA to FEMA. Comments can be submitted to FEMA for a 15-day period beginning on December 15, 2010 at http://www.crt.state.la.us/culturalassets/fema106/ or by regular mail. Mailed comments should be sent to: FEMA - Louisiana Recovery Office Historic Preservation 1 Seine Court New Orleans, LA 70114 If mailed, comments and requests must be physically received at this address by December 30, 2010.