Map of the PEMA Middle Delaware Study area (click for larger image).

The Project

The DRBC is partnering with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) to host a series of workshops for local officials in several "Middle Delaware" Pennsylvania counties to help them advance hazard mitigation (e.g., flood loss reduction) projects for FEMA funding approval.

The counties in the study area are Carbon, Northampton, Lehigh, Bucks and parts of Luzerne.

PEMA received grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support these efforts.

  • View Study Area map (pdf)

  • View News Release about the Project (issued 5/2/24)

Purpose of Workshops

The workshops are geared for folks working in local government, planning, conservation, floodplain or emergency management or those who work with folks in those fields. The goal is to assist stakeholders in low-capacity communities to:

  • Increase the capacity of local municipalities to apply for grants;

  • Provide education and outreach on application process and timeline; and  

  • Advance Hazard Mitigation Plans to mitigation project development and actions.

Through these efforts, municipalities and eligible authorities will be better equipped to advance their mitigation, recovery and resilience priorities.

DRBC's Role

The DRBC is providing GIS mapping services, as well as outreach planning and communications for the workshops and related meetings.

This page will provide general information on the project and access to all the materials presented at the Plan Implementation and Grant Development (PIGD) workshops.

DRBC and PEMA are hosting a series of three enrichment webinars this spring. These virtual webinars will focus on special topics pertaining to hazard mitigation planning: Hazard Mitigation Planning 101, Green Infrastructure & Mitigation and Acquisitions & Elevations.

These webinars are geared for municipal employees, floodplain managers, engineers, planners and other professionals looking to learn about accessing funding to support community preparedness against hazards. They will also give attendees an opportunity to learn from lead state hazard mitigation planning professionals. 

Webinar Schedule & Register

• April 9: Hazard Mitigation Planning 101, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  
  
• May 9: Green Infrastructure & Mitigation, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  
  
• May 27: Acquisitions & Elevations, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Webinar Presentations (pdf)

• April 9
  
  
  • DRBC: Hazard Mitigation Planning 101
    
    
  • PEMA: Hazard Mitigation Assistance 101

On Tuesday, April 1, Pa. State Senator Amanda Cappelletti and Pa. State Rep. Joe Webster hosted a free webinar exploring flood and hazard mitigation in local communities.

The webinar was titled "Flood Mitigation in the Delaware River Watershed" and featured the following presentations:

• DRBC and PEMA: Flood Mitigation in the Delaware River Watershed: Opportunities and Resources (pdf)
  
  
• Brandywine Flood Study (pdf)
  
  
• Perkiomen Watershed Mapping and Flood Study (pdf)
  
  

Check out the webinar recording!

View online: https://vimeo.com/1071541479?share=copy

The DRBC and PEMA partnered to host a Hazard Mitigation Funding webinar on November 26, 2024.

Webinar Materials

• Presentation: Hazard Mitigation Funding Grant Webinar (pdf)
  
  
• Funding Resources/Links (pdf)

Associated Resources

• Roadmap: Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (pdf)
  
  
• FEMA: Pennsylvania Post-Flood Recovery Checklist (pdf)
  
  
• FEMA: Protect Your Property from Flooding (pdf)
  
  
• FEMA: Trifold - Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs (pdf) 

In the Spring 2024, Hazard Mitigation Plan Implementation and Grant Development (PIGD) workshops were held throughout the project area in TWO parts – Day 1 and Day 2.

• Each workshop was held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
  
  
• The workshops were clustered by county, but folks were welcome to attend whichever was most suitable for schedules.
  
  
• Each session was offered as HYBRID (in-person and Zoom), and there was also one fully VIRTUAL session.
  
  
• In-person attendance was encouraged to support peer-to-peer networking.
  
  
• Registration was required whether folks intended to join in-person or virtual. 

PIGD Day 1 Workshops: March 2024

• March 11: Carbon/Luzerne - Location: Mark S. Nalesnik Emergency Management Agency - 1264 Emergency Lane, Nesquehoning, PA 18240 
  
  
• March 12: Lehigh/Northampton - Location: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs Stadium - 1050 Iron Pigs Way, Allentown, PA 18109
  
  
• March 13: Bucks - Location: Bucks County Fire Training Site - 1760 S Easton Road; Doylestown PA 18901 
  
  
• March 18: Virtual (all counties) - Location: online
  

Day 1 Recording (Bucks County Session, March 13)

Day 1 Workshop Presentations

• How to Write Hazard Mitigation Plans that are Actionable - PEMA (pdf)
  
  
• The Hazard Mitigation Assistance Application Development Process - PEMA/FEMA (pdf)
  
  
• Pre-Calculated Benefits & Benefit Cost Analysis - PEMA (pdf)
  
  
• Mapping - PEMA (pdf)

PIGD Day 2 Workshops: April 2024

• April 23: Carbon/Luzerne - Location: Mark S. Nalesnik Emergency Management Agency - 1264 Emergency Lane, Nesquehoning, PA 18240 
  
  
• April 24: Lehigh/Northampton - Location: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs Stadium - 1050 Iron Pigs Way, Allentown, PA 18109  
  
  
• April 25: Bucks - Location: Bucks County Fire Training Site - 1760 S Easton Road; Doylestown PA 18901  
  
  
• April 29: Virtual (all counties) - Location: online

Day 2 Recording (Lehigh/Northampton Session, April 24)

Day 2 Workshop Presentations

• Application Design for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Grants - PEMA, FEMA (pdf)
  
  
• FEMA Grant Outcomes - FEMA (pdf)
  
  
• Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) Photography - FEMA (pdf)
  
  
• PA Planning Integration Resources - FEMA (pdf)
  
  
• USACE Case Study: Successful Mitigation & Resiliency Project - USACE (pdf)
  
  
• PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Permitting - PADEP (pdf)
  
  
• Grant Cycle - PEMA (pdf)
  
  
• Session 6: Discussion Topics - PEMA (pdf)

An introductory webinar for county officials was held on January 18, 2024.

Webinar Recording

Download the Presentation

• View Intro Webinar presentation as pdf

These resources were shared by our FEMA & PEMA partners to workshop participants (all pdfs).

Middle Delaware 2024 PIGD Resources

• Potential Local Project Triage Worksheet
  
  
• Homework Sheet

FEMA Resources

• Hazard Mitigation Assistance Tri-fold
  
  
• Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams (HHPD) Grant Program
  
  
• Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions
  
  
  • A Guide for Local Communities
    
    
  • Strategies for Success
    
    
• Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) Initiative
  
  
• BRIC Building Code Activities
  
  
• FEMA Region 3 EHP Online Resources
  
  
• FEMA Region 3 EHP Documentation Checklist
  
  
• National Risk Index Overview
  
  
• Dam Safety with Beaverly Coloring Book
  
  
• My Rain Garden Coloring Book

PADEP Resources

• Guidelines for Maintaining Streams in Your Community
  
  
• Stream Maintenance: Northeast Region
  
  
• Stream Maintenance: Southeast Region

DRBC

• Kristen Bowman Kavanagh, kristen.b.kavanagh@drbc.gov
  
  
• Elizabeth Brown, elizabeth.brown@drbc.gov
  
  
• Avery Lentini, avery.lentini@drbc.gov

PEMA

• Thomas Hughes, thughes@pa.gov
  
  
• Rick Deal, rdeal@pa.gov
  
  
• Corey Davenport, cordavenpo@pa.gov