TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Keith Stahley, City Manager
FROM: Brian D. Martin, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
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Application for project funding under the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Safe, Reliable and Efficient Infrastructure
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SUMMARY:
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The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, federally recognized Tribal governments, and local governments for hazard mitigation activities. It does so with a recognition of the growing hazards associated with climate change, and the need for risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation and resilience with respect to those hazards. These include both acute extreme weather events and chronic stressors, which have been observed and are expected to increase in intensity and frequency in the future. One City project has advanced through the pre-application process and is recommended to be considered for this grant funding.
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council authorize the City Manager to apply for funding to design and construct the Geren Island Water Treatment Facility Bridge Replacement project through the BRIC Grant Program and, if successful, authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to accept these funds?
RECOMMENDATION:
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Authorize the City Manager to apply for funding to design and construct the Geren Island Water Treatment Facility Bridge Replacement project through the BRIC Grant Program and, if successful, authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to accept these funds.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
• The Department of Homeland Security Notice of Funding Opportunity (Attachment No. 1) provides BRIC award opportunities, whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL appropriates billions of dollars to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to promote resilient infrastructure, respond to impacts of climate change, and equip our nation with the resources to combat its most pressing threats.
• City staff reviewed the FY 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to determine candidate projects. Staff chose the Geren Island Water Treatment Facility Bridge Replacement project as the best candidate because of its critical importance and competitiveness with the grant criteria.
• The Geren Island Water Treatment Facility Bridge is the only means of access to the Geren Island Water Treatment Facility, making it a critically important infrastructure asset for maintaining the supply of safe drinking water to the City of Salem. The Geren Island Water Treatment Facility Bridge Replacement project will replace the existing bridge, constructed in 1965, with a new structure that meets current design standards for both strength and seismic loading conditions. The open area under the new bridge will be sized to convey 100-year design storm flows with additional consideration given to estimated increases in flows due to climate change. The estimated construction cost is $12.3 million.
• The grant application requires 25-percent City match funding. The project chosen is already in the adopted CIP, so the 25-percent match has already been programmed. If successful, the 75-percent grant award would equal approximately $9.2 million.
BACKGROUND:
A staff report was approved by Council on December 22, 2022, to submit a FY 2022 BRIC grant application for this project but due to the City’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP) expiration date we were unable to submit. The City’s NHMP was recently approved by FEMA on January 4, 2024, and the Oregon Office of Emergency Management has indicated that the Geren Island Bridge Water Treatment Facility Bridge Replacement project is a good candidate for the FY 2023 BRIC grant cycle.
Allen Dannen, PE
City Engineer
Attachments:
1. Department of Homeland Security of Notice of Funding Opportunity FY 2023
2. Project Location Map