FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grants Program functions to help states, Tribes, and communities in the wake of natural hazards and disasters.  As a subcontractor to Dewberry, TCG provided policy and analysis support to for the program through research of hazard mitigation issues and trends and development of programmatic policies, policy analysis, and program and policy evaluation.

HMA grants fund acquisition of properties in flood hazards areas to maintain the property. As part of this support, we developed a memo providing policy options that address critical issues related to subsurface hydraulic fracturing and horizontal directional drilling (hydraulic fracturing/HDD) of properties acquired for open space through FEMA HMA grant programs. To develop the memo, we participated in a three-day working group session with FEMA staff, working collaboratively to identify potential policy updates and changes. The objective of the memo was to present pros, cons, and risks to the Program for pursuing each of the policy options, and highlight important issues that need to be addressed for a through nationwide approach. Specifically, our support included: 

• Conducting a review of issues relevant to existing hydraulic fracturing/HDD nationwide 
• Identifying a range of options and recommendations to improve the policy  
• Describe impacts to HMA resulting from potential changes 

Learn more about the Hazard Mitigation Grants Program here: https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation