FINAL PUBLIC NOTICE The Fisheries Bureau of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Program funding through Iowa’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (IHSEMD) as a subrecipient.
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 lowincome 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: Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Bureau
Project Title: 103305, Trout Run Creek, PA-07-IA-4421-PW-00382
Location of Proposed Work: At four locations on Trout Run Creek, north of Trout Run Road, between Stone Hill Road to the east and Decorah Fish Hatchery at 2325 Siewers Spring Rd, Decorah, IA, 52101.
Special Flood Hazard Area Zone: This project will perform work in the A Zone, the area of 1% annual chance of flooding, per preliminary FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps 19191C0317C and 19191C0320C, both dated 1.15.2019. This area is also identified as a Zone A on the Iowa Flood Center map using data collected between 2016 and 2021 (https://ifis.iowafloodcenter.org/ifis/newmaps/hazard/).
Proposed Work and Purpose: Iowa’s Department of Natural Resources (Fisheries Bureau) proposes to use FEMA Public Assistance Grant funds to restore the embankment and sidewalk access of Trout Run Creek. Project will replace sloughed fill and reseed areas. A 100-foot section of sidewalk will be repaired. Project restores area to pre-disaster condition with no mitigation.
• Site 1, item 303856: work will restore 300 LF embankment with 1,738 CY of fill and reseed grass (43.286490, -91.762630).
• Site 2, item 303857: work will restore 335 LF embankment with 2,381 CY of fill and reseed grass (43.285270, -91.765520).
• Site 3, item 303858: work will restore 174 LF embankment with 2,582 CY of fill and reseed grass (43.286083, -91.763937).
• Site 4, item 303859: work will re-install 100 LF of concrete sidewalk, repair 120 LF embankment with 53.3 CY of fill and reseed grass (43.279950, -91.773690).
Project Alternatives:
Alternative #1 (No Action): If no action is taken, the sloughing on the stream could continue to erode. Further deterioration could impact the Trout Run Trail for pedestrians and harm aquatic habitat for fish.
Alternative #2 (Repair In-Kind): This is the option being pursued by this grant. Work will restore streambank and sidewalk, preserving current floodplain values and functions.
Alternative #3 (Mitigation): Mitigation such as streambank armoring was not found to be cost-effective, as determined by Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources.
Comment Period: This will serve as the final public notice regarding the above‐described action funded by the FEMA PA program. All comments received can be submitted online, via email, to FEMA at kate.stojsavljevic@fema.dhs.gov. Please use the subject line: “IA-4421-PW-382, IDNR Fisheries Bureau, Trout Run Creek.”
Interested persons may also submit comments and questions in writing, or request a map of this specific project, by writing to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region 7, 11224 Holmes Road; Kansas City, MO 64131. Written comments should be sent with the subject line “IA-4421-PW-382, IDNR Fisheries Bureau, Trout Run Creek” to the above address within 15 days of the date of posting.
All comments are due by no later than 15 days of the posted date of this notice. POSTED ON June 18, 2021: End of Notice