MONTGOMERY – Town residents are invited to participate in creating a hazard mitigation plan being developed by town officials with the assistance of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.
Town officials recently initiated the process of developing a hazard mitigation plan to identify actions that can be taken to reduce damage caused by natural disasters. Meetings are slated to be held on three Mondays, July 7, 21 and 28 and will be held at the Montgomery Town Hall at 7 p.m.
Josiah Neiderbach of the PVPC said the adoption of the hazard mitigation plan will make the town eligible for FEMA grant funding.
“The Town of Montgomery is currently developing a hazard mitigation plan to identify ways to prevent damage from natural hazards such as snow storms, flooding, and wildfires,” Neiderbach said.
Neiderbach recently met with town officials to initiate the planning process and to form a hazard mitigation committee.
“The planning process will last a couple of weeks, pretty much through the end of July,” Neiderbach said.
Those actions include something as simple as improving stormwater drainage to mitigate road damage caused by flooding, Neiderbach said. Part of the planning process is to establish priorities for mitigation action and to consider the cost of the actions.
”This planning effort is being undertaken to help the town officials and residents assess the risks faced from natural hazards, identify action steps that can be taken to prevent damage to property and loss of life, and prioritize funding for mitigation efforts,” Neiderbach said. “A mitigation action is any action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards.”
The hazard mitigation plan is being developed with funding provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and with the assistance from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
Neiderbach said the public meetings will provide residents with an introduction to the planning process, a summary of existing mitigation initiatives, and an outline of recommended strategies for addressing natural hazards. Municipal officials and PVPC staff will be available to answer questions and listen to comments on the planning process.
