FEMA Awards $2.2 Million for a Flood-Risk Reduction Project in St. Clair County

CHICAGO – FEMA has awarded a $2.2 million grant through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to St. Clair County for the acquisition of 36 flood-prone structures and adjacent lots across the county. The properties will be returned to open space and deed restricted to prevent future loss.

“FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program enables communities to implement critical mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate the risk of future disaster losses,” said FEMA Region 5 Regional Administrator Tom Sivak. “This project permanently removes structures from the floodplain and gives property owners the ability to relocate to areas with lower flood risk and protect the life they’ve built from future loss.”

“The coordination effort between Federal, state, and local agencies is critical to help reduce the long-term dangers in St. Clair County,” said Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Investment with this FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program will allow for enhanced floodplain management in St. Clair County’s future generations.”

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures following a presidentially declared disaster. For this project, FEMA will pay 100 percent of the $2,227,135 eligible project cost. FEMA will also provide $111,356 in sub-recipient management costs to assist St. Clair County in managing this grant. To learn more about HMGP or FEMA’s other Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs, visit www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation.