[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 6 (Monday, January 10, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1389-1390]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-509]


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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY


Notice of Distribution of Funds To Address Unmet Needs Resulting 
From Presidentially Declared Disasters

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: FEMA announces a second allocation of Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 
funds for grants to States to address disaster-related needs not met by 
Federal disaster relief programs. These funds are available to certain 
States for use in communities that have experienced presidentially 
declared major disasters in FY 1999. The funds will be allocated to 
States (grantees) for distribution in communities affected by the 
disasters.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice is effective January 10, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert F. Shea, Jr., Director, Program 
Support Division, Mitigation Directorate, Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, 500 C Street SW., room 417, Washington, DC 20472, (telephone) 
202-646-4621, (facsimile) 202-646-3104, or (email) 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 21, 1999, Congress appropriated $230 
million to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to address 
communities' unmet disaster assistance needs for Fiscal Years 1998 and 
1999. In a previous notice FEMA made allocations totaling $189,665,000. 
By this notice FEMA allocates an additional $39,335,000. Congress 
instructed FEMA to award these funds expeditiously to States for use in 
eligible communities. Pub. L. 106-31, Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1999, requires the publication of a 
notice governing the allocation and use of these funds.
    Authority: Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal 
Year 1999, Pub. L. 106-31, 113 Stat. 74.
    Eligible applicants: States are to use these funds to benefit 
communities affected by presidentially-declared major disasters between 
January 1, 1999 and May 21, 1999, including Native American tribes. The 
latter date is the date of enactment of the appropriations bill that 
provides the funds for this effort.
    State emergency management organizations (grantees) will administer 
these grants in conjunction with their administration of FEMA disaster 
assistance programs.
    Availability of funds: By this notice funds are allocated to the 
following States that experienced disasters between January 1, 1999 and 
May 21, 1999: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, 
Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, 
Texas and Wyoming.
    Allocations: The allocations are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Disaster
                      State                          No.      Allocation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama.........................................       1261   $3,532,104
Arkansas........................................       1266    1,194,098
California......................................       1267    4,310,428
Colorado........................................       1276    6,064,742
Georgia.........................................       1271       51,241
Iowa............................................       1277    3,446,853
Kansas..........................................       1273    4,426,195
Louisiana.......................................       1264    5,511,911
Louisiana.......................................       1269      557,948
Maine...........................................       1263    1,192,193
Mississippi.....................................       1265    4,569,973
Missouri........................................       1270    1,273,588
Oklahoma........................................       1272    1,012,570
Tennessee.......................................       1260       89,190
Tennessee.......................................       1262      253,580
Tennessee.......................................       1275       54,214
Texas...........................................       1274      307,671
Wyoming.........................................       1268    1,486,502
                                                 -----------------------
Total...........................................  .........   39,335,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We will provide an application package to States that receive 
allocations. States will submit applications to us indicating the 
proposed use of the funds. We will make awards up to the amount of the 
allocation after we make an expedited review of the State application 
package.
    The application will require additional information and data that 
was used by the States in identifying the amount of their unmet needs 
in the submission to FEMA. This additional information and data must be 
specific and include supporting documentation. To the extent that we 
deem the information and data are insufficient or that they support an 
ineligible activity, we will reduce the amount of the initial 
allocation accordingly.
    Correction to the Federal Register Notice of August 6, 1999. The 
August 6, 1999 Notice indicated that $40,000 of Florida's grant for 
unmet needs related to Disaster 1249 was to be directed to the Poarch 
Band of Creek Indians. We have since determined that the tribe's land 
is primarily in the State of Alabama; this is notice to the affected 
States that we have re-directed $40,000 from Florida to Alabama, and 
that we have adjusted each State's total allocation commensurately. We 
have notified each State separately of this action through official 
correspondence.

[[Page 1390]]

Alabama will administer the tribe's grant.
    Grant requirements/Use of funds. The purpose of these funds is to 
provide to the extent possible for unmet needs that are the direct 
result of presidentially declared major disasters in Fiscal Years 1998 
and 1999. States (grantees) and subrecipients must use these funds for 
activities for which there is no available funding through FEMA, the 
Small Business Administration, or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
    The funds can be used only for unmet needs for the purposes of 
mitigation, buyout assistance, disaster relief, and long-term recovery. 
We urge States to use funding in all categories in a manner that will 
reduce future disaster related costs.
    The State must administer any funding used for buyouts or 
mitigation activities by the State consistent with the intent of the 
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. For example, States must ensure that 
mitigation and buy-out activities are cost effective and that they will 
restrict the use of acquired properties in the same manner as under the 
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
    Environmental review. The State and FEMA will complete an 
environmental review for all activities. Generally these reviews must 
be completed before beginning projects. Applicants for funding under 
this program will be responsible for preparing environmental 
documentation, conducting appropriate consultation with authoritative 
State agencies, and forwarding the results of such documentation and 
consultation to us for final review and approval to enable us to ensure 
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the National 
Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, and all other 
Federal environmental statutes and Executive Orders. Costs to prepare 
documentation and conduct consultation are eligible project costs and 
should be included within the budgeted project cost. FEMA has retained 
a small amount of the available unmet needs funds to pay for additional 
environmental review, if it is necessary.
    Cost share. Each State must provide an assurance that there will be 
not less than 25 percent in non-Federal funds, or equivalent value, to 
match unmet needs funds. Funds provided under this Act cannot be used 
as the non-Federal match for other Federal funds nor can other Federal 
funds be used as the required non-Federal match for these funds.
    Allowable costs. States may use up to 7% of these funds for costs 
to administer or manage the grant. Administrative and management costs 
should be included in the State's application. Further guidance on 
allowable costs for states and subgrantees can be found in Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars on the Cost Principles.
     State and local governments should consult OMB Circular A-
87.
     Private Non-Profit organizations should consult OMB 
Circular A-122.
     Educational institutions should consult OMB Circular A-21.
    Reports. States will provide quarterly progress and financial 
reports to us within 30 days after the end of each Federal quarter. We 
will include the suggested format for these reports and exact due dates 
in the application package. The report must include specific 
information on actual projects funded during that quarter and the needs 
for which the funds were provided for each of those projects.
    Evaluation process: Our regional offices will review State 
applications and quarterly progress reports to determine whether 
activities fall within the four eligible categories and that other 
Federal disaster relief programs do not already address them.
    We use a system in which mitigation (including buyout assistance) 
is our priority, followed by long-term recovery and other unmet needs 
are generally categorized as disaster relief. States may submit unmet 
needs in any category, but we will emphasize mitigation and buyout 
assistance. We will determine other unmet needs (disaster relief and 
long-term recovery) based on State submissions. We will ask for reviews 
by appropriate Federal agencies so as to avoid duplication of existing 
Federal programs.
    Based on the congressional action to place these funds under our 
disaster authorities, E.O. 12372 review procedures do not apply.

Application Submission and Deadline

    We will mail application packages to States that are allocated 
funds in this notice. States should complete the application package 
and return it to our regional office listed in material that they 
receive.
    Applications are due on or before 30 calendar days from the receipt 
of the application package that we send. Unless we receive a request 
for an extension we will reallocate funds from States that have not 
submitted an application by the due date.

    Dated: January 4, 2000.
James L. Witt,
Director.
[FR Doc. 00-509 Filed 1-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-05-P