NOTICES
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Substantial Amendments for the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery 2012 (P.L. 112-55) and 2013 (P.L. 113-2) Allocations/Modification to the Citizen Participation Plan/Public Hearing
[51 Pa.B. 3235]
[Saturday, June 12, 2021]Notice is hereby given for a public comment period to review the proposed substantial amendments to the Commonwealth's Fiscal year (FY) 2012 Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) (P.L. 112-55) funds and FY 2013 Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (P.L. 113-2) funds. The public comment period is from June 12, 2021, through July 12, 2021.
P.L. 112-55
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a notice at 77 FR 22583 (April 16, 2012), which awarded $27,142,501 of CDBG-DR funds to the Commonwealth to be administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (Department). This was the first allocation of CDBG-DR funding to assist the Commonwealth with recovery from 2011 storm events (Hurricane Irene—FEMA-4025-DR and Tropical Storm Lee—FEMA-4030-DR). An Action Plan for these funds was submitted and subsequently approved. Since then the Department has published and received approval for six Substantial Amendments to the Action Plan for the CDBG-DR funding received under P.L. 112-55. Priorities for funding were identified in the last Substantial Amendment which was approved by HUD on June 12, 2018.
The Commonwealth is hereby notifying the public of the award of specific projects in the affected municipalities identified and prioritized and soliciting comments on the announcements.
The changes proposed by the 7th Substantial Amendment to be dated July 27, 2021, are as follows:
Acquisition and Clearance (Buyout Program)
• Montour County—$352,000 for the county to acquire and demolish three repetitively flooded properties which are located outside of the protection of the levee system in Danville Borough.
• Columbia County—$2,957,348.90 for the county to acquire and demolish 22 properties which have been identified as being located in a floodway, flood-prone area or have experienced severe repetitive loss or repetitive loss as a result of past flooding events.
• Lycoming County—$912,000 for the county to acquire and demolish six properties in Muncy Borough, which have been identified as repetitive loss or severe repetitive loss properties.
New Housing Construction
• Columbia County—$3,125,438 to construct nine condominiums available to low-income and moderate-income persons located on the existing Mills housing campus in Bloomsburg.
Multifamily Rental Program
• Wyoming County—$2,458,747 to construct 16 rental units in Nicholson Borough designed for elderly persons, which are presumed to be low-income and moderate-income persons. Additional funds are being provided from P.L. 113-2 allocation. Total projected project costs are $3,309,074.
Infrastructure
• Town of Bloomsburg—$445,000 for the improvement of the Honeysuckle Lane Stormwater Mitigation System, which provide benefit to the entire low-income and moderate-income town.
Planning
• Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)—$100,000 to update the State Recovery Plan. The staff at PEMA have determined the original plan needs to be updated to include the Pennsylvania Business Emergency Operations Center and the splitting Recovery Support Function-6 into two distinct RSFs: RSF-6—Natural and Environmental Recovery and RSF-&—Cultural and Historical Recovery. In addition, the county recovery template would be updated to reflect the current revision to emphasize the new FEMA Community Lifeline resilience needs of communities.
P.L. 113-2
The Commonwealth received $29,986,000 from HUD under the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-2, approved January 29, 2013). This was the second allocation of CDBG-DR funding to assist the Commonwealth with recovery from storm events in 2011 (Hurricane Irene—FEMA-4025-DR and Tropical Storm Lee—FEMA-4030-DR). The Action Plan guiding the distribution of the $29,986,000 appropriation was published on August 30, 2013. Since then, the Department has published and received approval for four Substantial Amendments to the Action Plan. Priorities for funding of specific project types were identified in the previous Substantial Amendment which was approved by HUD on June 12, 2018.
The Commonwealth is hereby notifying the public of the award of specific projects in the affected municipalities identified and prioritized and soliciting comment on the announcements. The following information details the awards under P.L. 113-2 appropriation to reflect updated strategic priorities of the Commonwealth.
The changes proposed by the 5th Substantial Amendment to be dated July 27, 2021, are as follows:
Multifamily Rental Program
• Wyoming County—$850,327 to construct 16 rental units in Nicholson Borough designed for elderly persons, which are presumed to be low-income and moderate-income persons. Additional funds are being provided from the P.L. 112-55 allocation. Total project costs are $3,309,074.
Infrastructure
• Schuylkill County—$2,798,969.84 to continue wetlands restoration to mitigate the future impacts of flooding in Pine Grove Borough along the Swatara Creek. The project will qualify under the Urgent Need National objective.
Planning
• PEMA—$100,000 for planning activities to ensure effective recovery from future disasters. Funds are being allocated for a study of users and nonusers of flood insurance to determine how best to communicate with consumers the importance of and the benefits of flood insurance coverage for protection of properties in flood prone areas. PEMA will engage with the Pennsylvania State University to collaborate on this study and make recommendations for future communication strategies.
Modification to the Citizen Participation Process for the Consolidated Plan and Action Plan Other Special Project Grants or Emergency Declaration
In the event that other Federal special programs are awarded to the Commonwealth or if an emergency declaration is made that affects the administration of the existing Federal programs, that are authorized under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended (42 U.S.C.A. §§ 5301—5322), Cranston-Gonzales National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, as amended (42 U.S.C.A. §§ 12701—12713) or McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 1987, as amended (42 U.S.C.A. §§ 11301—11435), and administered by the Department, the citizen participation requirements will be followed in accordance with either the statute or regulations set forth in the program. If HUD may allow for or provides opportunities to request waivers to specific elements of the citizen participation process the Department will determine whether a waiver is necessary and seek use of the waiver authority in accordance with information provided by HUD. Once the waiver is granted by HUD to the Commonwealth, the special conditions will be passed to its grantees, if necessary, to streamline the citizen participation process in accordance with the regulations in place.
To take advantage of the granted waiver authority, the grantee must amend their Citizen Participation Plan to meet the minimum standards included in the waiver if the required action is not already covered in their Citizen Participation Plan.
Amendment—5-2021—Recovery Housing Program
Federal Register 6225-N-01: Notice of fiscal year 2020 Allocations, Waivers and Alternative Requirements for the Pilot Recovery Housing Program, allows the Commonwealth's Citizen Participation Plan to be updated to provide no less than 15 calendar days for public comment of the Recovery Housing Program Action Plan. The Department will be following this requirement in accordance with this waiver.
Public Review, Public Hearing and
Citizen CommentThese substantial amendments to the P.L. 112-55 and P.L. 113-2 Action Plans and supporting documentation is available on the Department's web site at http://dced.pa.gov/, under the Consolidated Plan, Action Plan, & Reports tab at the bottom of the homepage. The substantial amendments are available for public comment from June 12, 2021, through July 12, 2021.
A virtual public hearing will be held by means of Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at 10 a.m. Individuals and organizations may give testimony or comments on the proposed changes to the Action Plans for the CDBG-DR funding.
Individuals can join the virtual public hearing at https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19:meeting_yzu0mjrkmjetmmnhos00m2qzlthjzdctywqynjmwogi4zdzm@thread.v2/0?context={''tid'':''418e2841-0128-4dd5-9b6c- 47fc5a9a1bde'',''oid'':''2c296ac5-0c5b-4ce1-a0c3-0db3ef8fb7f4''}.
Individuals can join the virtual public hearing by phone at +1 267-332-8737,,370565837# United States, Philadelphia. The conference ID number is 370 565 837#.
Persons with a disability or who possess limited English proficiency and wish to participate in the virtual public hearing should contact Megan L. Snyder, Department of Community and Economic Development, Commonwealth Keystone Building, 400 North Street, 4th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0225, (717) 720-7404, megsnyder@pa.gov. Persons in need of TDD, call (717) 346-0308 to discuss how the Department can accommodate their needs.
Comments on the Substantial Amendments to the P.L. 112-55 and P.L. 113-2 Action Plans and the Citizen Participation Plan for the Consolidated Plan may be electronically submitted to the Department at RA-DCEDcdbghomequestions@pa.gov. Comments will also be accepted by telephone by calling (717) 787-5327. Written comments may be submitted to Megan L. Snyder, Center for Community and Housing Development, Department of Community and Economic Development, 400 North Street, 4th Floor, Commonwealth Keystone Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0225. All comments must be received by Monday, July 12, 2021, at 4 p.m. to be included as testimony in the Action Plans that will be submitted to HUD, no later than July 22, 2021.
DENNIS M. DAVIN,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 21-924. Filed for public inspection June 11, 2021, 9:00 a.m.]
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