Public Notice FEMA
10/23/2023
PUBLIC NOTICE
Federal Emergency Management Agency
In accordance with 44 CFR §9.8 for Executive Orders 11988 and 11990
Proposed Retaining Wall
Village of Attica, Wyoming County, New York
Notification is hereby given to the public of the intent of the Department of Homeland Security-Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS-FEMA) to provide federal funding to the Village of Attica as subrecipient for the proposed retaining wall project in Wyoming County through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The purpose of HMGP is for communities to develop hazard mitigation plans and rebuild in a way that reduces, or mitigates, future disaster losses. This notification is given in accordance with Executive Order (EO) 11988 (Floodplain Management) and EO 11990 (Wetland Protection), 44 CFR Part 9, regulations for implementing EOs 11988 and 11990, and the National Historic Preservation Act.
The proposed project consists of the construction of a new, structurally independent wall in front of an existing stone retaining wall located at 22-24 W Main St, Attica, NY 14011, (42.864017, -78.283337). The new wall will be approximately 8ft in height and about 60ft in length. The north-south portion of the wall is planned to extend about 8ft above the streambed, leaving the upper 4ft of the existing wall exposed. The scope includes clearing and grubbing this area extending about 40ft south of the existing wall. This 800-sf area of shoreline immediately south of the existing stone wall, once cleared, will become a tapered extension of the new retaining wall (6ft above the streambed) and will be backfilled with earth and include installation of stone riprap. The area of proposed site disturbance and adjacent areas that may be affected by the project include the Veterans Park, which covers an area of 41ft x 65ft, immediately behind the stone retaining wall, which will be cleared to allow for equipment access and staging area.
This action would take place within the floodplain and in Tonawanda Creek, which is a mapped wetland. Alternatives considered include: 1) no action, 2) replacement of the existing wall or, 3) the proposed alternative, which is the construction of the new retaining wall. FEMA has determined that the proposed project is the most practicable alternative to reduce the failure of the current wall, which would lead to the eventual loss of Veterans Park and compromise the Main Street roadway. FEMA has also determined that investment of funds to construct this retaining wall is in the public interest. Potential floodplain and wetland impacts are anticipated to be temporary during construction and minimized through best management practices and conservation measures incorporated from resource agency recommendations and required regulatory permits.
Comments about this project, potential alternatives, and floodplain impacts may be submitted in writing within 15 days of the date of this publication to: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency – Region 2 – Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY, 10278 or via email to FEMAR2COMMENT@fema.dhs.gov. If substantive comments are received, FEMA will evaluate and address the comments as part of the environmental documentation for this project.