Public Notice NHPA/NEPA1 Seeking Public Comment for FEMA Funded Construction of the Mazant-Royal Housing Development, 4100 Royal Street, New Orleans As part of FEMA's Public Assistance Grant Program, the Housing Authority of New Orleans is requesting that FEMA provide funds to construct the Mazant-Royal housing development on the city square #131 bounded by Royal Street to the north, Mazant Street to the east, Chartres Street to the south, and France Street to the west. The Department of Housing and Urban Development will also be providing funds for the project through a Community Development Block Grant, administered through the Louisiana Housing Corporation. FEMA is in the process of drafting a MOU with LHC to establish Lead Federal Agency for the Section 106 review. Federal regulations require FEMAand LHC, as funding agencies, to identify if any of the properties are historic (listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places); to assess the effects the work will have on historic properties; to seek ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects to historic properties; and to evaluate the proposed action's potential for significant impacts to the human and natural environment. The project area is located within Bywater Historic District, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. FEMA determined this project may adversely affect the Bywater Historic District. FEMA is also conducting testing to determine if any archaeological deposits will be affected by the proposed project. The most recent design is depicted on this notice, further design development documents may be found at the following link. http://www.hano.org/communities/mazant/190820-4100-Royal-Package.pdf To help develop a course of action for this project, FEMA is requesting your input by November 20, 2019 on ways to avoid or minimize effects of this project on the Bywater Historic District and any ideas on how to mitigate the adverse effects to this historic district. Comments can be posted at this website: https://www.crt.state.la.us/culturalassets/fema106 Or mail comments to: FEMA Mail Center/Environmental Historic Preservation 1500 Main Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Or email comments to: fema-liro-ehp-pa@fema.dhs.gov 1 The high winds and heavy rains of Hurricanes Katrina and the subsequent widespread flooding damaged many buildings in Orleans Parish, LA. In the aftermath of the hurricane, the FEMA is issuing this public notice as part of its responsibilities under the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations, 36 CFR Part 800, implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA). This notice applies to activities carried out by the Public Assistance program implemented under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C.§§5152-5206. FEMA is also required to fulfill the Council of Environmental Quality regulations (NEPA regulations, 43 FR 55978 (1978)) that provide policy and procedures to enable FEMA officials to be informed and to take into account environmental considerations when authorizing or approving major FEMA actions that may significantly affect the environment of the United States. It is the intent of NEPA that federal agencies encourage and facilitate public involvement to the extent practicable in decisions that may affect the quality of the environment.