Public Notice

FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Application

Final Notice and Public Explanation of a Proposed Activity in a 100 Year Floodplain - Wexford Stormwater Pump Station

January 13, 2022

The Town of Hilton Head Island has applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant funding through the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) as a sub-recipient. Funding for the proposed project will be conditional upon compliance with all applicable federal, tribal, state and local laws, regulations, flood plain standards, and permit requirements and conditions.

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 to, 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).

Applicant: Town of Hilton Head Island

Project Title: Wexford Stormwater Pump Station

Location of Proposed Work:

            Address of Structure: See Table Below

A map showing the location of the property is available by contacting Marcy Benson, Senior Grants Administrator for the Town of Hilton Head Island, at 843-341-4689 or MarcyB@hiltonheadislandsc.gov.

Special Flood Hazard Area Zone (SFHA): This project is an enhancement to an existing flood control pump station facility located in Flood Zone AE (1% annual chance flood elevation). Confirmation of location was made by reference to the latest Flood Insurance Rate Map, Panel 450250 0442G dated March 23, 2021. The proposed work conforms to all applicable State of South Carolina and local floodplain regulations. The proposed work will involve an electrical system overhaul, reconstruction of the intake chamber and installation of self-cleaning mechanical bar screens to prevent potential damage to pumps and ensure increased level of reliability during and after a storm event. The proposed work will be on previously disturbed ground and will have no effect on the local floodplain. The proposed work has the potential to be affected by the location in a SFHA. The action will be mitigated by the installation of debris bar screens and mechanical rakes.

Proposed Work and Purpose: This Town of Hilton Head Island proposed project is for mitigation activity to reduce repetitive damage of property, prevent losses of life, and reduce the financial impact caused by flooding. The installation of debris bar screens and mechanical rakes will mitigate the flood risk by ensuring the flood control pump station system will operate at optimal efficiency by preventing potentially adverse tidal storm surges from overwhelming the pump station facility.

Project Alternatives:

Alternative #1 (no action alternative): No action was considered for this project. Due to potential risk to upstream properties protected by the pump station facility, no action was deemed not an option.

Alternative #2: Installation of debris screens at one or more locations further upstream was considered and deemed not an option because the Town of Hilton Head Island does not own the property and no other feasible location along the channel is available.

Alternative #3: Replacement of current debris rod bars with larger rods at the upstream end of the intake chamber was considered and deemed not an option because this would not prevent smaller debris from entering into the pump chambers and clogging or damaging the pumps.

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. The comments should be made in writing and addressed to Marcy Benson, Senior Grants Administrator, Town of Hilton Head Island, 1 Town Center Court, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 or via email at MarcyB@hiltonheadislandsc.gov. All comments are due within 30 days of this notice. The Town of Hilton Head Island will forward comments to applicable regulatory agencies as needed. Interested persons may submit comments, obtain more detailed information about the proposed action, or request a copy of the findings by contacting:

Marcy Benson, Senior Grants Administrator
Town of Hilton Head Island
1 Town Center Court
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
843-341-4689
MarcyB@hiltonheadislandsc.gov

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