The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has received a subgrant application for the Town of Sullivan’s Island. Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 and 44 CFR Part 9.12, final notice is hereby given of FEMA’s intent to provide funding for this project under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).

An initial disaster‐wide Public Notice was published October 5, 2015 for DR-4241-DR severe storms and flooding. 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/sub-applicants 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 final notice for FEMA’s funding action located within a Special Flood Hazard Area. FEMA has determined the only practicable alternative is to fund the repairs of the stormwater collection infrastructure including installation of pumps and force main lines needed to move stormwater to the outfall. 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 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

Applicant:                  Town of Sullivan’s Island

Project Title(s):          HMGP 4241-0049 Town of Sullivan’s Island Multi-Basin Stormwater Improvement

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

All Panels effective 01-29-2021. Sites are located within regulatory floodways. Sites are located within or adjacent to wetlands.

Proposed Work and Purpose: Install drainpipes and inlets to collect stormwater runoff and carry to stormwater pump stations then pump to an outfall at the receiving waterbody. No outfall exists in the drainage basins so runoff must be pumped to an outfall. Roadway will be re-paved as necessary. Improvements will provide infrastructure to handle the design storms and allow safe passage on roads for emergency vehicles.

Project Alternatives:

1. Relocation of facilities outside of the floodplain – There are no facilities to relocate outside of the flood area. Providing new facilities would require acquiring properties, rerouting roadways, potentially altering public access to certain properties and disproportionately affecting property owners as land is seized for the construction. Floodplain avoidance by relocating the facilities is not a practicable alternative and would adversely impact social or economic resources for the community
2. No action alternative – This alternative is not feasible flooding occurs in the basins during any rainfall event since there is no collection system or outfall measures. During rain, roads which provide ingress/egress, school bus and postal services and access for emergency personnel are flooded. With the no action alternative, continued flooding and negative impacts to ingress/egress are experienced.

Comments: This will serve as the final public notice regarding the above‐described action funded by the FEMA HMGP program. Interested persons may submit comments, questions, or request a map of this specific project by writing to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region 4, 3005 Chamblee‐Tucker Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, or by emailing FEMA‐R4EHP@fema.dhs.gov. Comments should be sent in writing with the subject line “HMGP 4241-0049 Town of Sullivan’s Island Multi-Basin Stormwater Improvements” at the above addresses within 15 days of the date of this notice.

THIS NOTICE MAY BE REMOVED FROM PUBLIC VIEW ON THE 15th DAY FROM ORIGINAL DATE OF POSTING

NOTICE WAS POSTED ON THE 19TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2022