FEMA SECTION 106 Notices for Louisiana

Federal Emergency Management Agency
Semi-Annual Report on the Louisiana Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Programmatic Agreement (LA HMGP PA)
Louisiana Recovery Office

Introduction

FEMA is providing this report pursuant to Stipulation XV of the Louisiana State-Specific Programmatic Agreement Among the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP);Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer of the Department of Culture Recreation & Tourism (SHPO); Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (ACTT); Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana (CTL); Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO); Jena Band of Choctaw Indians (JBCI); Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI);Seminole Tribe of Florida (STF); and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) Regarding FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (LA HMGP PA), executed January 31st, 2011.

The Jena Band of Choctaw Indians signed the LA HMGP PA on February 8, 2011. Tribes that are recognized as Participating Tribes in the document and have not yet signed the LA HMGP PA include: The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (ACTT), the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana (CTL), the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO), the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI), and the Seminole Tribe of Florida (STF). These Tribes are consulted per the terms of the LA HMGP PA.

Other Consulting Parties who have signed the LA HMGP PA as Concurring Parties are the Office of Community Development-Disaster Recovery Unit, Calcasieu Parish, Jefferson Parish, Saint Tammany Parish, the City of New Orleans, and the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans.

FEMA is producing this Semi-Annual Report in accordance with Stipulation XV, and contains updates for the Grantee per Stipulation III.A.7 and Stipulation VII.C.

In Accordance with Stipulation XV.C, FEMA is providing Consulting Parties 30 days to comment on the Semi-Annual Report. Comments should be addressed to Gail Lazaras via e-mail at gail.lazaras@fema.dhs.gov or via phone at 504-715-6076. If any relevant comments are received, FEMA may convene a meeting or telephone conference call of the Consulting Parties to discuss these comments within 60 days of submittal. If it is determined that a meeting is necessary, FEMA will further notify Consulting Parties.

Methodology

The information provided in this report is applicable to the reporting time period of August 1, 2014 through January 31, 2015 unless otherwise noted. The summary data was extracted from internal tracking databases maintained by FEMA's Environmental and Historic Preservation Section and HMGP Program as well as tracking sources from the Office of Community Development. In some instances the reconciliation of projects takes several weeks. Therefore, FEMA has not received complete information that is reflective of all funding activities through January 31, 2015; this information will be captured in future reports.

Data

In this reporting period, FEMA completed review for 8 Undertakings utilizing the Programmatic Allowances in Appendix C of the LA HMGP PA.

Stipulation IX: Section 106 review procedures specific to archaeological historic properties, also known as Archaeological Exclusion Properties (AEXP)

AEXP are defined as properties located within, adjacent to, or within 100 meters of the boundaries of an archaeological site recorded with SHPO and that is previously determined as NR-eligible or of undetermined eligibility. The following table provides a summary of FEMA's efforts to identify, evaluate, assess and treat effects for AEXP for the reporting time period (note that no action was taken in this reporting period):

Stipulation Reference	Description	# of Properties Identified	Date(s) of FEMA determination	Response from Consulting Parties, if applicable
IX.D.1	Total number of properties identified as AEXP as of 7/31/2014	148	Identified since LA HMGP PA was signed	n/a
IX.D.1	Number of AEXP identified within the reporting timeframe	0	n/a	n/a
IX.F	Finding of No Historic Properties Affected	0	n/a	n/a
IX.H	Finding of No Adverse Effect	0	n/a	n/a
IX.I	Strategies to avoid or minimize Adverse Effects	0	n/a	n/a
IX.J	Finding of Adverse Effect	0	n/a	n/a

Reporting Stipulation XV.B.i: The number of residential properties funded under Programmatic Treatment Measures to date

Projects funded under Programmatic Treatment Measures (PTM) include HMGP Limited Exception properties (including Pre-Effective Date and Grace Period Undertakings), Post-Grace Period Undertakings, and all residential properties submitted via Large-Scale Sub-Grantee applications. The total number of projects funded under PTM as of July 8, 2014¹ is 9,604.

Reporting Stipulation XV.B.ii: The number of non-residential properties that went through the Standard Review process

The Standard Review process applies to Undertakings submitted through traditional applications, which include residential properties, commercial properties, private non-profit properties and all public properties that do not meet the criteria to be considered Pre-Effective date Undertakings or Archaeological Exclusion properties. The Standard Review is used for Undertakings that do not meet the Programmatic Allowances set forth in the LA HMGP PA. FEMA HP reviewed a total of 4 Undertakings for non-residential properties using the Standard Review Process between August 1, 2014 and January 31, 2015.

Reporting Stipulation XV.B.iii: Adverse effects or potential adverse effects addressed through Standard Treatment Measures (STM) or project-specific Memorandum of Agreements (MOA). Note this applies to STM and/or MOA executed during the reporting period.

Per Stipulation XV.D, FEMA posted the July 31, 2014 Semi-Annual Report to the CRT website between July 31 and August 11, 2014 for public review and comment. SHPO provided comments that were incorporated into an updated version of the report.

See reporting under Stipulation XV.B.v for more information on the Programmatic Treatment Measures associated with Community Education and Outreach Measures (Stipulation XII.D.2).

Reporting Stipulation XV.B.v: Summary of the execution of Standard Treatment Measures (STM), Programmatic Treatment Measures (PTM), and treatments under any project-specific Memorandums of Agreement

FEMA acted to fulfill treatment measures as described in MOA, STM and PTM to mitigate adverse effects to historic properties through the following activities:

The Bayou Yscloskey MOA has been completed. FEMA sent a letter detailing FEMA's actions to fulfill the terms of the MOA to all consulting parties on December 30, 2014. All artifacts from this project were curated with the State of Louisiana on January 15, 2015.

FEMA is currently addressing adverse effects to historic properties through implementation of the 1st Amended Memorandum of Agreement Among FEMA, the City of New Orleans, Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer of the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Regarding the Elevation/Wind Retrofit of Residential Structures, Orleans Parish, LA (CNO-Elevations MOA as amended_ NEMIS #1603-0073 & #1607-0107. FEMA produces a separate report regarding the execution of all treatment measures resulting from the CNO-Elevations MOA as amended per Stipulation I.I of this agreement.

FEMA and GOHSEP addressed some adverse effects to historic properties through PTM and the following outline summarizes these efforts during the reporting period and/or to date:

The Interagency Agreement between GOHSEP and SHPO is active and has been in effect since August 2012.
Activity #1: Community Education, Outreach and Preservation Workshops for the Built Environment: The Historic Preservation Public Workshops have been completed.
Mitigated Virtual Demonstration Home: The Division of Historic Preservation Staff within SHPO is progressing on the "Mitigation Virtual Demonstration Home" booklet, web content and video. Contract negotiations were finalized with the National Center for Preservation Technology & Training and Northwestern State University to complete the Virtual Mitigation Booklet deliverable.
Activity #2: Community Education, Outreach & Preservation for Archaeology:
Task #1: Web-Based Framework: The Division of Archaeology staff has completed the web-based framework. Webpage user evaluations have been conducted. The web portal and first webpage, Poverty Point, was completed. Fully functional drafts of websites for both the Marksville and Bailey's Dam sites have been completed by the preparer, along with PDF copies and are currently being analyzed by the internal review panel. A site visit to Marksville was done in order to take photographs of the site's features, which are being used on the Marksville website.
Task #2: Teaching Materials: The structure and much of the content along with key contacts have been identified to provide the Archaeology teachers curriculum and modules. Meetings were conducted with teachers regarding this project and also to provide answers to a survey questionnaire that was designed by the Archaeologist. The survey was used on selected teachers of middle school social studies who have provided feedback on potential archaeology modules, and analysis was done regarding those responses. Determined that teachers would like to have suggested activities and assessments for each module, and the best medium to use for the modules is PowerPoint. Of the six modules, it was determined to begin with a general module on archaeology and archaeologists, meant as an introduction to the series. Subsequent modules are planned to complement various chapters of Louisiana studies as well as the websites to introduce the targeted archaeology sites into the classroom as follows: Archaeology and Archaeologists, Prehistoric Louisiana, Poverty Point World Heritage Site, Colonial Louisiana, Civil War Louisiana, and Poverty and Progress in Louisiana.
Task #3: KnowLA Information: All essay topics have been determined, including documentation of appropriate length and the compliance/standards requirements. An essay on Louisiana prehistory has been completed; eight drafts have been written and undergone extensive review. Six additional essays have been started, including one that near completion.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Semi-Annual Report on the Louisiana Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Programmatic Agreement (LA HMGP PA) Louisiana Recovery Office

January 31, 2015

Environmental/Historic Preservation Section Federal Emergency Management Agency 1500 Main Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Introduction

Methodology

Data

Federal Emergency Management Agency
Semi-Annual Report on the Louisiana Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Programmatic Agreement (LA HMGP PA)
Louisiana Recovery Office

Environmental/Historic Preservation Section
Federal Emergency Management Agency
1500 Main Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802