Public Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management) and Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides final notice of its decision to provide Public Assistance Program funding for an action located in a floodplain. Funding would be provided through Vermont Emergency Management to the Town of Stockbridge for Blackmer Boulevard Embankment Repairs.
The action is located on Blackmer Blvd. in Stockbridge, VT. The project is to repair embankments in four locations by removing trees and stumps to clear the embankments for installation of stone rip-rap and a soil nail wall for reinforcement against future failure. Safe access to one of the locations requires constructing a temporary ford across the White River to perform repairs.
The project is within a regulatory floodway and a mapped special flood hazard area (100-year floodplain). The proposed action will involve the temporary use of heavy machinery within the floodplain as well as temporary fill imported to create the river ford for site access. The removal of trees and stumps across all sites will reduce future debris entering the floodway. Fill will be added in the form of rip-rap across all sites as well as a soil nail wall in one location. While the sites may be subject to damage during future flood events, the mitigation described above will help to reduce future erosion and protect adjacent property and infrastructure.
Alternatives considered include no action as well as repair to pre-disaster condition. No action would have caused additional deterioration of the damaged embankments. Repairing to pre-disaster condition would have subjected the embankments to similar damages in future storm events. Grant conditions will also require compliance with all federal, state and local laws, including coordination with the local floodplain administrator and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Map requests and questions about this project and potential floodplain impacts should be submitted within 15 days of the date of this publication to:
FEMA Region I Mitigation Division
220 Binney St, Cambridge, MA 02142