FINAL PUBLIC NOTICE
Nebraska State Game and Parks Commission has applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) funding through Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department (HSEMD) 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 low-income 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.
Subrecipient: Iowa Department of Natural Resources Parks Bureau
Project Title: IA-4421-1514; [126741] Wilson Island State Recreation Area
Location of Proposed Work: The Wilson Island State Recreation Area is a 544-acre state recreation area however work will only occur in the pre-disturbed campground area. The address is 32801 Campground Ln, Missouri Valley, IA 51555. See Figures 1 and 2 at the end of the notice.
Special Flood Hazard Area Zone: The Wilson Island State Recreation Area is located in a Zone A Floodway or 1% Annual Chance Flood Hazard Area. Confirmation of location in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)
was determined by the Pottawatomie County Flood Insurance Rate Map, Panel Number: 19155C0200E, effective on 2/4/2005 (Figure 1). There is a potential for the facility to be impacted by future flooding events due to its location within the floodway. The proposed work will take place in wetlands per the United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory.
Proposed Work and Purpose: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IA DNR) Parks Bureau proposes to utilize FEMA’s Improved Project process to improve the existing recreation infrastructure. Out of the
13 damaged elements, six will be improved, thereby changing from its pre-disaster footprint. The picnic tables, park grills, park signs, fire rings, electrical boxes, sump pumps, propane tanks, playground, boat dock, hunting blind, and picnic shelter will be replaced in kind, returning those elements to pre-disaster condition. The following damages are categorized as improved:
Project Alternatives:
- Alternative #1 (No action): The Wilson Island State Recreation Area provides access to campsites, hiking trails, and picnicking areas for the public. The park is still usable while the damaged elements are not repaired, however the usability has been reduced and it is more susceptible to damage in another extreme weather event. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources intends to restore the park back to pre-2019 flooding design with additional improvements that will benefit the public.
- Alternative #2 (Relocate the park out of the floodplain): The current location of the Wilson Island State Recreation Area is within a Special Flood Hazard Area and is therefore at risk for repetitive loss. However, moving to another location would incur a significant cost. Additionally, the process for land acquisition and all necessary environmental permitting would be extremely lengthy. The new park may not be as large and would not be able to provide such recreation activities as fishing due to its proximity being far away from the river.
Comment Period:
Comments are solicited from the public; local, state or federal agencies, and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed project on the community. Interested parties may submit comments, questions, or request a map of this specific project by writing to: Environmental and Historic Preservation Branch, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region 7, 11224 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO, 64131, or
by email to Regional Environmental Officer Teri Toye at R7-MT-EHP@fema.dhs.gov. Please send comments with the subject line: DR-4421-IA-1514 11988 Wilson Island State Recreation Area COMMENT.
All comments are due by no later than 15 days of the posted date of this notice.
Posted On: 10OCT24
END OF NOTICE