The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has received a subgrant application for City of Portola, Plumas County, CA. Pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 11988 and 44 CFR Part 9.12, final notice is hereby given of FEMA’s intent to provide funding for this project under the Public Assistance Grant Program (PA).

An initial disaster-wide Public Notice for DR-4699-CA was published 11/1/2023. 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.

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. EO 11988 and EO 11990 requires FEMA to consider alternatives and provide a public notice of any proposed actions in or affecting floodplains or wetlands. EO 12898 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).

This notice serves as a project‐specific final notice for FEMA’s funding action located within a Special Flood Hazard Area. FEMA has determined the only practicable alternative is to fund A-15 bridge scour repair. This action complies with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements. There is a potential for the facility to be impacted by future flooding events due to its location within the AE Zone. The proposed work will take place in wetlands per the United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory and will have little potential to impact or affect wetland values.
 

Applicant: City of Portola

Project Title: PW 00724; GM 743764; A-15 Bridge more critical scouring

Location of Proposed Work and Floodplain Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Panels:

Proposed Work and Purpose: Excess water flow down the river resulted in additional scouring around bridge pillar #3. The city will utilize contract and/or force account labor to restore lost unclassified material, 16 CY, with rip rap rock within the facility’s existing footprint. Staging will occur within the existing rights-of-way at (39.807914, -120.468244). Rip rap rock will be placed using a long-reach excavator with a 65-foot (ft) arm operated from the existing rights-of-way. Project will be accessed along the east side of the bridge embankment from the Union Road Pacific Railroad Yard located on the south side of the river at (39.806342, -120.470678).

Project Alternatives:

(1)  (No Action) This alternative would result in risk of additional damages. If the damage is not repaired, then adverse economic and social impacts may occur and continued negative impacts may be experienced.

(2)  (Repair in-kind) Repairs made in kind may result in similar damages from future flood events.

(3)  (Relocation) Floodplain avoidance by relocating the facility is not a practicable alternative as the bridge is a part of the City’s roadway system and changes to a part of the system may result in changes to the overall system.

Comments: This will serve as the final public notice regarding the above‐described action funded by the FEMA Public Assistance program. Interested persons may submit comments, questions, or request a map of this specific project by writing to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region 9, 1111 Broadway #1200, Oakland, CA 94607, or by emailing FEMA-RIX-EHP-Documents@fema.dhs.gov . Comments should be sent in writing with the subject line “DR4699; PW 00724; PN 743764; A-15 Bridge more critical scouring” at the above address within 15 days of the date of this notice.

THIS NOTICE MAY BE REMOVED FROM PUBLIC VIEW ON THE 15th DAY FROM ORIGINAL DATE OF POSTING.

NOTICE WAS POSTED ON              11th                   DAY OF     February       2025

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