Public Notice for Receiving FEMA Grant Funds

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has received a subgrant application for Chattooga County. Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 and 44 CFR Part 9.12, notice is hereby given of FEMA’s intent to provide funding for this project under the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant.

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/subapplicants 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 notice for FEMA’s funding action located within a Special Flood Hazard Area. FEMA has determined the only practicable alternative is to fund the proposed Silver Creek Pump Station improvements. 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 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)

Applicant: City of Morganton, NC                   

Project Title: EMA-2020-BR-100-0031 Silver Creek Pump Station Improvements

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

FIRM Panel effective date: 9/5/2007. Site is located within a mapped Zone AE regulatory floodway. Site is located adjacent to wetlands.

Proposed Work and Purpose: The City proposes to partially demolish the existing chain link fencing, gates, and lift station structure (35.738516, -81.711285) that currently houses two existing pumps including electrical equipment, piping, HVAC systems. The three-foot deep void from demolition will be filled with flowable, stable, and inert fill material to be dictated by the contractor. Next, a new wet well (35.738376, -81.711151) with self-cleaning functionalities is proposed to be constructed southeast of the existing wet well structure (35.738463, -81.711313). Existing wet well structure is staying as is and will be utilized for emergency storage. Three new submersible pumps will reside in the new wet well and upgraded electrical components are to be placed on top of the structure. The new wet well structure will be connected to the existing wet well structure by metal walkway for easy access for operations and maintenance staff. Also proposes is construction of a influent junction box (35.738345, -81.711260) with electrical wiring connecting to the existing wet well and a valve vault (35.738468, -81.711173). Three 4-inch diameter pipes from the new wet well will pass through the proposed valve vault out to connect to a new 16-inch diameter pipe that will tie into the existing force main pipe crossing Silver Creek. A diesel emergency engine generator will be installed atop an existing metal platform (35.738635, -81.711265) above the base flood elevation. New fencing and gate entrance will be placed around the site, with some visual screening and minor landscaping to provide security and aesthetic improvements. The purpose is to increase protection during storms and disasters to critical infrastructure avoiding pump station failure.

Project Alternatives:

1. No action alternative – This alternative is not feasible or practicable since the Silver Creek pump station is the largest and most critical pump station in Morganton's wastewater system and in need of upsizing and rehabilitation. The total population of Morganton in 2018 was 16,555 people. While the Silver Creek Pump Station only handles 3,250 households and many businesses, if it fails, it endangers the entire wastewater system for Morganton and can have adverse effects on the entire city and to the natural environment that include the Catawba River.
2. Relocation outside the mapped floodplain – This alternative is not feasible as pump and lifts stations such as these are typically located at the lowest point in gravity-fed sewer systems and are prone to be located in the floodplain. Additionally, relocating would likely result in larger environmental and socio-economic impacts as parcel land would need to be purchased and prepared equating to greater construction costs.
3. Three other configurations were designed and considered – First alternative design was deemed to expensive and would lack self-cleaning systems requiring greater maintenance and would result in being below the required elevation out of the base flood elevation. The second alternative design would lack the new wet well structure resulting in lower costs and while there would be two new submersible pumps and self-cleaning systems, the difficulty in maintenance and the risk of sanitary sewer overflow during construction led to the dismissal of this alternative. The third alternative design would lack the new wet well structure but utilize three new submersible pumps but due a lack of another wet well, during emergency and maintenance situations there would be no backup storage and a risk of overflows and spills would likely occur.

Comments: This will serve as both the initial and final public notice regarding the above‐described action funded by the FEMA BRIC 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 or email with the subject line “BRIC EMA-2020-BR-100-0031” at the above addresses within 30 days of the date of this notice.

THIS NOTICE MAY BE REMOVED FROM PUBLIC VIEW ON THE 30^th DAY FROM ORIGINAL DATE OF POSTING

Posted on 7/27/2022