Lehigh & Northampton County Municipal Officials and Authority Representatives,

We are writing to inform you that on Friday, September 6, 2024, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notified us of the approval of the 2024 Lehigh Valley Hazard Mitigation Plan, granting it the status of “Approved Pending Adoption” (APA). This designation means that the Plan meets all of FEMA’s and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency’s (PEMA) criteria for a current Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Since land use authority resides with the municipalities, the Plan will not take effect until one of the fifty-nine (59) participating municipalities in Lehigh or Northampton counties formally adopts it. Once adopted by resolution at a municipal board meeting, the Plan will be effective for five (5) years, starting from the date of that first municipal adoption.

Municipalities and participating authorities MUST adopt the Plan within one (1) year of the APA designation—by September 5, 2025—to remain eligible for hazard mitigation funding. Failure to adopt by the deadline will result in the loss of eligibility for both the municipality and its residents or non-profits for the following programs:

• Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grants
• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
• Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)
• Building Resilient Infrastructure in Communities (BRIC)
• Swift Current
• Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) funds

• Note: Participating Authorities will also be ineligible for these programs if the Plan is not adopted by their respective Boards.

Highlights of the 2024 Lehigh Valley Hazard Mitigation Plan:

• High Hazard Potential Dam (HHPD) Section: This new section meets and exceeds FEMA requirements, making entities eligible to apply for HHPD grants. This section is expected to become a required part of future Hazard Mitigation Plans.
• Authority Participation: Three (3) participating authorities—Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC), Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority (LNAA), and Lehigh County Authority (LCA)—have added annexes to the Plan. This is a first for the Lehigh Valley Plan and many counties within the Commonwealth. These annexes will strengthen the Authorities’ cases for future grant applications, and they must be formally adopted by each of their respective Boards.

We want to express our gratitude to the municipalities and authorities that have worked diligently on updating and constructing annexes for their communities. While hazard mitigation may often be overlooked, the strong participation across municipalities, authorities, and stakeholders within the Counties demonstrates its continued importance.

Key Items of Importance:

• Attached to this email is a resolution template for your Board’s use when adopting the Plan.
• Annual Plan review meetings (mandated by FEMA) will be held each September/October.
• You can find your annex, the Lehigh Valley Master Plan, and all appendices at the following sites:
  • https://ncem-pa.org/2024-mitigation-plan/
  • https://www.lehighcounty.org/Departments/Emergency-Management-9-1-1/Hazard-Mitigation-Plan

REMINDER:

Once your municipality or authority formally adopts the Hazard Mitigation Plan, please forward a signed copy of the resolution to your county Co-Chair. This information will be submitted to PEMA and FEMA to ensure your eligibility for potential grant funding.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your respective Co-Chair or Point-of-Contact using the information below.

Thank you for your continued cooperation!

Thomas E. Guth, Jr.

Northampton County Emergency Management

100 Gracedale Ave

Nazareth, PA 18064

Office: 610-746-3194 x3228

Fax: 610-746-3199

tguth@ncem-pa.org

www.ncem-pa.org

*** After final County review, documents will be made available here***