This month, the governor signed a bill that directs Wisconsin Emergency Management to create a pre-disaster flood resilience grant program. This will provide grants for improving flood vulnerabilities in communities.
Flooding is one of the most frequently occurring natural disasters across Wisconsin. It affects many municipalities and increases damage costs to public and private property. Last spring, Wisconsin was in a state of emergency due to elevated flooding concerns following heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt. It led to flooding issues in several counties.
Senate Bill 222, now 2023 Wisconsin Act 265:
- Requires WEM to create and administer a pre-disaster flood resilience grant program. The grants will go to applicants to identify flood vulnerabilities, improve flood resiliency, and restore hydrology to reduce flood risk.
- Allows grants of up to $300,000 per assessment grant and $250,000 per implementation grant to be made to local governments or nonprofits.
- Establishes that applications for a grant may be considered only if:
a) It’s for a project that was the site of a presidentially declared disaster for flooding.
b) It’s for a project that was the site of a governor-declared state of emergency for flooding.
c) It’s for a local governmental unit with a hazard mitigation plan that identifies localized exposure to flood risk.
See a recent Mid-West Farm Report story on Wisconsin’s flood risk and prevention: https://www.midwestfarmreport.com/2024/03/14/prepare-for-potential-flooding-this-spring/
