JOINT FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL
PUBLIC NOTICE
November 18, 2022
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Florida Division of Emergency Management have received the following application for Federal grant funding. Final notice is hereby given of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) consideration to provide funding in the form of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Funds will be provided in accordance with Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93-288, as amended.
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. 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 or 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.
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.
Applicant: City of Fort Myers
Project Title: HMGP-4337-227-R City of Fort Myers, Canal Armoring
Location of Proposed Work:
- Canal Street
- Ford Street
- Matthew Drive to Bowling Green Boulevard
- Rogers Weir to McGregor Boulevard
- Gallee Way to Central Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Ballard Road to New York Avenue
- New York Avenue to Lift Station-20
- Ford Street to Henderson Avenue
Proposed Work and Purpose:
The City of Fort Myers proposes canal armoring and soil stabilization to mitigate erosion along multiple canals. The city proposes to use varying combinations of Concrete Cloth, HydroTurf, and Flexamat systems to harden vulnerable sections of drainage canals to protect against canal slope failure due to erosion and scour. It is intended to prevent the exposure of utilities and erosion to roadways and private properties. Adjacent utilities and infrastructure, as well as private property, shall be protected from damage and disruption. The project will not significantly change the cross-section of any of the canals. There are some areas where the canal bank has washed out that will be repaired back to the original bank as part of the project.
Project Alternatives:
The alternatives to the project that have been and will be considered are 1) the no-action alternative and 2) private property acquisition/demolition and utility relocation. These alternatives to the proposed project are not viable because under Alternative 1) repetitive erosion and damage are not alleviated and the needs of the community would not be served, and Alternative 2) does not retain the fabric of the community and is cost prohibitive, and therefore not practicable.
Comment Period:
Comments are solicited from the public; local, state, or federal agencies; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed project. The comments should be made in writing and addressed to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Mitigation, 2555 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100. These are due within 30 days of this notice. The State will forward comments to applicable regulatory agencies as needed. Interested persons may submit comments, obtain more detailed information about the proposed action, or request a copy of the findings by contacting:
Richard H. Thompson, P.E. Stormwater Resource Manager | (239) 822-8566 | City of Fort Myers | rthompson@cityftmyers.com
Kayla Born, State Lead Environmental Specialist | (850) 815-4582 | Florida Division of Emergency Management | Kayla.Born@em.myflorida.com