Nussle Ltr FEMA funds JIM NUSSLE
CHAIRMAN
COMMI'I-rEE ON THE BUDGET
Home Page Address:
COMMITTEE ON
WAYS AND MEANS
February 13, 2003
The Honorable Terry M. Duggan
Mayor
City of Dubuque
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001-4864
DISTRICT OFFICES:
TOLL FREE HOTLINE
(800} 927~5212
(319} 235-1 lo9
E-mail Address:
Dear Terry:
Please find enclosed a copy of a letter I received l~om Richard Hainje, Regional Director,
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Kansas City, Missouri. This letter is in response to an
inquiry I made on your behalf.
Terry, I hope you fred this information helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free
to contact me or Anne Rave, Deputy District Administrator in my Manchester office.
Sincerely,
Jim Nussle
Member of Congress
Enclosure
This mailing was prepared, published, and mai[ed at taxpayer expense.
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Region VII
2323 Grand Blvd., Suite 900
Kansas City, MO 64108-2670
February 11, 2003
The Honorable Jim Nussle
U.S. House of Representatives
712 West Main Street
Manchester, Iowa 52057
Dear Representative Nussle:
This letter is in response to your January 29, 2003, correspondence to the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on behalf of Terrance M. Duggan, Mayor of
the city of Dubuque, Iowa. Mayor Duggan wrote requesting assistance from your office
in securing the funds necessary to acquire a structure that was substantially damaged
during the JUne 2002 flood event.
Under Section 404 0fffie Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act as amended; and the 44 Code of Federal Regulations, FEMA is authorized to
provide funding for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). For the June 2002:
federal disaster declaration, funding for HMGP may not exceed 15 percent of the
combined total dollar amount FEMA spends ona disaster for Individual Assistance and
Public Assistance. The HMGP funds are provided to each state, which then prioritizes
the use of these funds. The state of Iowa has established the following as their three
highest priorities for the HMGP:
1. Voluntary acquisition/demolition of residential structures, structural
relocation of residential structures or the elevation of residential
structures;
2. Voluntary acquigition/demolifion or relocation of non-residential
structures.
3. Mitigation of critical facilities.
The city of Dubuque applied to the Iowa Emergency Management Division (IEMD) for
federal assistance through FEMA's HMGP to acquire five residential structures and one
commercial structure all located within the 100-year floodplain. The application was
received by FEMA on January 21, 2003. To date, two of the five residential structures
submitted by the city are currently not eligible for funding because they fail to meet the
benefit cost analysis conducted bythe EEMD. However, it is our understanding that the
state has requested additional information to ensure that their determination on the
ineligibility of those structures is accurate. It is possible that these two residential
structures could later qualify for acquisition.
Additionally, it is FEMA's understanding that should one or more of the owners of the
residential structures recommended by IEMD decline to participate in the voluntary
HMGP, the commercial property that Mayor Duggan supports for acquisition could be a
future consideration for acquisition by IEMD. However, it should be noted that the
voluntary acquisition of substantially damaged residential structures is the state's top
priority, Because it may be some time before all of the information associated with this
project is received, evaluated and a final decision reached, Mayor Duggan may wish to
maintain contact with Dennis Harper, the Iowa State Hazard Mitigation Officer at
(515) 281-3231.
It is important to remember that the application submitted by the city of Dubuque is one
of many projects submitted statewide currently under consideration for HMGP funding
by the state of Iowa. The amount of projects submitted for funding often outweighs the
amount of HMGP funds allowable by law. States are faced with determining which
projects will eliminate the health and safety risk to the occupants, eliminate future cost to
the city and provide the maximum amount of protection against future losses.
I trust tiffs information will allow you to respond to Mayor Duggam
Sincerely,
Regional Director
cc: Dennis Harper, IEMD