Public comment on hazard mitigation needed
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On behalf of the Lake County Office of Emergency Management, I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to participate in the five-year update of the Lake County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (MHMP). By providing input and direction as a project stakeholder, you can assist us by representing your interests in making our communities more resilient and resistant to the damages caused by natural and man-made hazards. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires that an MHMP be in place for the County to receive disaster mitigation funds and apply for mitigation grants.
The MHMP will re-examine the wide range of hazards that affect Lake County, recent hazardous events, the probability of future occurrences and the vulnerabilities of our structures and population. From that assessment, a plan-of-action to mitigate these hazards can be updated. Your assistance with the update of the MHMP will ensure it is meaningful and relevant throughout Lake County.
Lake County has contracted with Tetra Tech, Inc. to assist with the MHMP update. Although Tetra Tech will provide project management, technical assistance and a majority of the administrative work on the plan, your participation is important to ensure our vulnerabilities are identified and the appropriate mitigation projects are included.
We have a six-month timeframe for completing the project. The first public meeting to kick off the project will be held on Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. at the Office of Emergency Management meeting room, 25C Regatta Road, in Polson.
Bi-weekly planning team meetings will be held during November, December, and January to identify and rank the hazards, which will be profiled in the plan and used to update the county’s mitigation strategy. By February, we will have a draft plan and hold a second public meeting to review the draft risk assessment and mitigation strategy. A 45-day review period will take place during February and March where we encourage you to provide us with your comments.
At the conclusion of the comment period, Tetra Tech will complete a plan revision and submit the updated plan to FEMA for review and approval. During this period (April-May 2019) you will have a second opportunity to review the plan and provide comments. Based on further comments, Tetra Tech will complete another plan revision and submit the final document to the county, cities of Polson and Ronan and the town of St. Ignatius for adoption. Once the plan is adopted, Lake County and the incorporated communities will remain eligible to receive FEMA funding for mitigation projects.
We look forward to your involvement in this very important project. An update of the Lake County MHMP will go a long way in saving lives and protecting property in our county. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me at 406-883-7253 or Daphne Digrindakis with Tetra Tech at 406-475-2648.
