Funding Mitigation and Building Resilience

Introduction There have been substantial changes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Portfolio of Programs under Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) over the past 3-years, including corresponding funding at historic levels. One of the most impactful changes was FEMA's development of Community Lifelines to increase effectiveness in disaster operations and better position FEMA to respond to catastrophic incidents across the Country. In August 2023, FEMA modified Community Lifelines to include a new, stand-alone 8th Lifeline for Water Systems. Previously considered an aspect of the Food/Water/Shelter Lifeline, this structural change reflected FEMA's recognition and increased prioritization of the water sector in FEMA's efforts to create more resilience within America's infrastructure landscape. This technical session provides an update on Mitigation Funding Programs along with examples of relevant mitigation projects in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Montana. This increased knowledge of the transformative benefits of risk and disaster mitigation for wastewater utilities will educate attendees on opportunities to increase resilience by taking steps to harden facilities and decrease overall risk. Objectives The presentation aims to provide wastewater utilities with insights into how best to maximize benefits of FEMA's HMA programs. Emphasis will be on opportunities presented by the newly created Water Systems Lifeline. Attendees will learn about resilience projects previously funded by FEMA, new potential mitigation activity types including addressing sea level rise, developing hardened water pipelines, flood-proofing water pollution control facilities, creating resilient power for treatment plants, and rehabilitating sewer systems. Understanding these funding avenues is crucial for utilities to position themselves effectively for assistance. Status The past three years have seen a dramatic shift in FEMA's Hazard Mitigation programs, with an unprecedented level of funding leading to expanded opportunities for wastewater utilities to enhance resilience and mitigate risks. This presentation provides an update on these developments, with a particular focus on how the addition of the Water Systems Lifeline reinforces the emphasis on wastewater sector resilience. Case studies and examples of utility projects benefiting from these changes will be highlighted. The examples will include projects drawn from FEMA's Mitigation Action Portfolio (MAP) along with previously submitted sub-applications to the FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program: In specific, these examples will include: -City of Lincoln, Nebraska's Wastewater Treatment Plant — Flood Mitigation Project -Chippewa Cree Tribe, Montana's Rocky Boy's Reservation — Lagoon Relocation Project -Kansas/Nebraska Multijurisdictional Utilities - Ice Hardening Project -Denison (Iowa) Municipal Utility (DMU) — Ice Hardening and Retrofit Application Methodology The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), also called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides unprecedented levels of funding to both new and existing FEMA Mitigation programs. Approximately 35% - 45% of the IIJA's total is distributed through grants for which states and localities compete. Including in this funding is $3.5 billion for the FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program (FMA). An additional $1 billion is earmarked for FEMA's BRIC Program and Congress has taken a truly unique step in providing $500 million to help implement the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) Act, which establishes the Revolving Loan Funds (RLF) eligible to provide local match for hazard mitigation projects, which were authorized by the previous legislation. In terms of perspective, only $200 million was available for FMA in FY2020 and $160 million was available in FY2021. Twenty-six states did not submit FMA applications in FY2020 and 31 states did not apply in FY2021. The FMA program is now funded at $700 million each year through FY2026. The Justice40 Initiative is also an important program. With both the FMA and BRIC identified as programs belonging to one of 21 agencies across the Federal Government engaged in Justice40, the program intends to direct 40% of funding within identified programs towards low equity/low agency communities. Findings and Significance The presentation will focus on the importance of identifying and overcoming barriers to accessing the transformative funding described. By addressing these challenges, wastewater providers can leverage the significant opportunities provided by FEMA's enhanced focus on the Water Systems Lifeline. The session will emphasize the types of resilience projects currently receiving funding and offer strategies for utilities to navigate the application process effectively, thereby positioning their systems for optimal funding assistance.