Programmatic Environmental Assessment draft, Jan 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

No Action Alternative

FEMA funds would not be used to fund infrastructure, property protection, or continuity of government or business operations improvements. If local governments were unable to implement the proposed measures without Federal assistance, fire and explosion hazards would remain.

Proposed Action Alternative

Proposed projects included in the Infrastructure and Critical Property Protection category are structural and non-structural actions intended to mitigate future fire and explosion hazards. These projects consist of critical facilities and lifeline utilities protection, water supply, and residential, commercial, and industrial property protection.

Critical Facility and Utility Protection - Protection of critical facilities, such as hospitals and healthcare facilities is crucial for providing care and shelter should another disaster occur. Actions to protect these facilities could include retrofitting existing structures to consist of fire-retardant materials. Hardening or relocation of existing lifeline utility systems in high-risk areas for future fires or explosion impacts could be identified and implemented.

Water Supply Protection - Protection of drinking water and water supply for fighting fires is an integral part of disaster response resulting from acts against homeland security. A water supply project may relocate and retrofit water lines to provide water capacity for fire-fighting capabilities.

Construct New or Improve Existing Healthcare Facilities - It is likely that new healthcare facilities or improvement of existing healthcare facilities would occur under the HMGP or PA Mitigation Program. New structures would be built using fire and explosion-retardant materials and potentially located in an area with adequate firebreak protection. Existing structures may be retrofitted to include fire and explosion-safe materials. The development of additional or revised building codes, including seismic safety based on FEMA 368, may be created protect new structures from future damage related to fires and explosions and other natural disasters.

2.4.2 Awareness Initiatives and Strategies to Protect the Public

No Action Alternative

FEMA funds would not be used to fund the development of systems or measures to reduce the threat of actions against homeland security through awareness initiatives and implementation of protection strategies against terrorism, technological hazards, severe weather and other natural hazards, fires and explosions. Initiatives would also be developed to protect or manage ingress or egress in high-rise buildings. The funding responsibility for these programs and strategy development initiatives would fall on the City and State governments and would not be implemented.

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