CWEDD FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant – February 2017

Transportation

As previously reported, on behalf of Cascades West Economic Development District (CWEDD) and other local and regional partners, the Community Service Center (CSC) at University of Oregon submitted an Economic Resilience Grant Application to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. It has recently been reported that the application will be submitted to FEMA by the State Review Board as the priority planning project in the State.

Historically, FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs have required funds to be used for updating an existing Hazard Mitigation Plan relating specifically to emergency preparedness and disaster response. However, the grant’s post-disaster planning funds have been newly changed to include a range of other activities, such as enhanced regional risk assessment and recovery planning, provided there is nexus back to the original mitigation plans. The FEMA Grant proposal submitted by CSC would be the first in Oregon to enhance, integrate and leverage both local hazard mitigation and economic development planning activities, focusing specifically on economic recovery in a post-disaster situation.