Asheville Reporter

Town of Canton issued the following announcement on Jan. 31.

Town of Canton has applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Program funding through the North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) as a sub- recipient.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), federal actions must be reviewed and evaluated for feasible alternatives and for social, economic, historic, environmental, legal, and safety considerations. Under Executive Order (EO) 11988 and EO 11990, FEMA is required to consider alternatives, and to provide a public notice of any proposed actions in or affecting floodplains or wetlands. EO 12898 also requires FEMA to provide the opportunity for public participation in the planning process and to consider potential impacts to minority and low-income populations. This notice may also fulfill requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

Funding for the proposed project will be conditional upon compliance with all applicable federal, tribal, state, and local laws, regulations, floodplain standards, permit requirements and conditions.

Sub-Applicant: Town of Canton

Project Title: [435083] Town Parking Lots; PA-04-NC-4617-PW-00019 PN 435083

Location of Proposed Work:

Special Flood Hazard Area Zone:

This project is for repair of 2 parking areas in AE Floodway (Regulatory Floodway) flood zones. Confirmation of location in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) was determined by the Haywood County Effective Flood Insurance Rate Map, Panel Numbers: (3700865700J & 3700866700J), dated 04/03/2012. The proposed work conforms to all applicable State of North Carolina and local floodplain regulations. The proposed work will be done on existing structures and will have no effect on the local floodplain. The proposed work has the potential to be impacted by flooding in the future but is functionally dependent on its location in the floodplain. The proposed work will not take place in a wetland per the United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory but will have no potential to impact or affect wetland values.

Proposed Work and Purpose:

The Town of Canton will utilize contracts to repair 2 parking areas. All repairs will be in kind. The purpose of this project is to return use to the damaged parking lot facilities that provide open space use and access to recreation in community of Canton.

Project Alternatives:

Alternative #1 (No action alternative): The ‘no action’ alternative would ultimately result in a negative impact on the Town of Canton as the lots provide parking for open space use and access to recreation for the community and tourists.

Alternative #2: (Upgraded): Repairing with upgraded materials was not economically feasible.

Alternative #3: (Relocation): Relocation is not practicable as the facility is functionally dependent on its location in close proximity to open space use facilities near the water.

Comment Period:

Comments are solicited from the public; local, state or federal agencies, and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed project. The comments should be made in writing and addressed to:

FEMA Internal 11988 Reviewer

FEMA Region 4

3005 Chamblee-Tucker Road

Atlanta, Georgia, 30341

Alternatively, comments may be emailed to: FEMA-R4EHP@fema.dhs.gov. Please send comments with the subject line [DR-4617-NC-00019 11988 COMMENT].

All comments are due by no later than 30 days of the posted date of this notice.

 Original source can be found here.