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Construction Monthly Magazine | Dallas 2021 Build Expo Show Edition

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$500 MILLION NOW<br />

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-<br />

DISASTER MITIGATION<br />

PROJECTS<br />

By Mary Scott Nabers<br />

Climate change and the need for mitigation efforts for<br />

disaster control have resulted in more federal funding<br />

available for public entities throughout the U.S.<br />

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)<br />

soon will distribute up to $500 million from a new<br />

<strong>Build</strong>ing Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)<br />

grant program for pre-disaster mitigation projects. The<br />

funding is available for public officials at the state and<br />

local levels of government.<br />

Contractors interested in this type of work should<br />

monitor regional funding requests because they are tied<br />

to planned projects. A few examples of upcoming projects<br />

follow.<br />

Illinois<br />

The cities of Centreville, Cahokia, and Alorton will merge<br />

to become Cahokia Heights later this year. While that<br />

will please local community leaders, there’s a bit of<br />

sobering news as well. There is a significant problem<br />

related to major flood trouble zones, and a $22 million<br />

grant application has been submitted to the new FEMA<br />

program. If granted, the city will use the funding for<br />

projects related to sewer work, new pump stations,<br />

and other upgrades. <strong>Construction</strong> will begin soon if the<br />

funding is approved.<br />

Louisiana<br />

There is similar activity in Louisiana. The Louisiana<br />

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s budget for<br />

fiscal 2022, which starts July 1, outlines a spending plan<br />

for $887 million for projects along the state’s coastline.<br />

At least 71 percent of the funding is earmarked for<br />

construction projects related to flood mitigation.<br />

<strong>Construction</strong> is slated for early 2022 on a $162 million<br />

Terrebonne Basin Ridge and Marsh Creation Project. The<br />

project is designed to restore and maintain approximately<br />

1,430 acres of eroding saltwater marsh and 80 acres of<br />

earthen ridge of the Bayou Terrebonne.<br />

Another project with projected costs at more than $108<br />

million will be launched to rebuild marshes and oyster<br />

reefs around Lake Borgne, the Golden Triangle area, and<br />

areas of the Biloxi Marsh shoreline.<br />

In Plaquemines Parish, $75 million has been designated<br />

for the Barataria Basin Ridge and Marsh Restoration<br />

Project and $50 million is tagged for work on the Mid-<br />

Barataria and Mid-Breton sediment diversions. These<br />

projects are related to an ongoing effort to prevent the<br />

bottom third of the state from disappearing into the Gulf<br />

of Mexico.<br />

Arkansas<br />

The city of Bentonville will ask residents in April to<br />

42 CONSTRUCTIONMONTHLY.COM

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