Final Public Notice for Receiving FEMA Grant Funds

City of Morganton has applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Program funding through the North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) as a sub-recipient.

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, and to provide a 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 and low-income populations. This notice may also fulfill requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

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.

Sub-Applicant: City of Morganton

Project Title: [179419] Silver Creek- Greenway; PA-04-NC-4588-PW-00117

Location of Proposed Work:

Special Flood Hazard Area Zone:

This project is for repair of a section of eroded stream embankment and fencing in AE Floodway (Regulatory Floodway) flood zones. Confirmation of location in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) was determined by the Burke County Effective Flood Insurance Rate Map, Panel Number: (3710179300J), dated 09/05/2007. The proposed work conforms to all applicable State of North Carolina and local floodplain regulations. The proposed work will be done on existing structures and will have no effect on the local floodplain. The proposed work has the potential to be impacted by flooding in the future but is functionally dependent on its location in the floodplain. The proposed work will not take place in a wetland per the United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory but will have no potential to impact or affect wetland values.

Proposed Work and Purpose:

The City of Morganton will utilize contracts to repair a section of the Catawba River Greenway stream embankment along Silver Creek and replace damaged greenway fencing. Repairs will involve the repairing the embankment to current codes and standards using stabilizing methods to reenforce the bank and minimize erosion. Fencing will be replaced in kind. The purpose of this project is to return function to the damaged greenway that provides open space use and recreation in the City of Morganton.

Project Alternatives:

Alternative #1 (No action alternative): The 'no action' alternative would ultimately result in a negative impact on the City of Morganton as the greenway serves as open space use and recreation for the community and tourists.

Alternative #2 (In kind repair): Repairing the facility in kind would leave it susceptible to damage in a future similar event.

Alternative #3 (Relocation): Relocation is not practicable as the facility is functionally dependent on its location in close proximity to the water.

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:

FEMA Internal 11988 Reviewer

FEMA Region 4

3005 Chamblee-Tucker Road

Atlanta, Georgia, 30341

Alternatively, comments may be emailed to: FEMA-R4EHP@fema.dhs.gov. Please send comments with the subject line [DR-4588-NC-00117 11988 COMMENT].

All comments are due by no later than 30 days of the posted date of this notice.

POSTED ON: (04/06/2022)

End of Notice