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DES director reports flood project closeouts, FEMA reviews and grant pauses; county appeals a finding on Grove Creek
Summary
DES Director Cyrina Allen told commissioners Feb. 10 that several FEMA mitigation and recovery projects remain at review or appeal stages, EMPG and HMGP reimbursements were on hold as of Feb. 6, and the county has submitted a response to a Determination Memo that found Grove Creek ineligible for PA funding.
Cyrina Allen, Carbon County’s DES Director, briefed commissioners Feb. 10 on disaster recovery and preparedness activities, grant status and communications upgrades.
Allen reported several Spring 2022 and 2023 disaster projects are in closeout or review: the Cherry Springs culvert upsize was completed in December 2025, and Elbow Creek scope-of-work amendments were submitted in late January 2026. The county received a Determination Memo for Grove Creek on Dec. 9, 2025 that found the project did not meet PA eligibility; the county submitted a response on Feb. 6, 2026 expressing its intent to appeal that determination.
Allen said Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) reimbursements and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) remain effectively on hold due to federal funding constraints as of Feb. 6. DES has begun an application to State Resiliency Funds for the Edgar Lagoon project with Stahly Engineering and the county’s Road and Bridge Master Plan has moved forward with a State Resiliency Funds award and Stahly as the engineering partner.
On communications, Allen said trunking radio equipment has been installed at Rock Creek and Bridger and that law enforcement is using the trunking system; Fire/EMS/SAR migration will follow when the full system is operational. She also noted DES is hosting ICS 300 training in Joliet on March 5–7 and that the county is evaluating emergency mass-notification systems and developing a new CarbonAlert.org website.
Several mitigation grant applications (including Joliet sewer lagoons and Sand Creek Canal) are at FEMA review; DES staff reported state DES believes those awards are likely but said awards remain pending FEMA review. Allen closed by noting ongoing coordination with LEPC and state DES, and that some projects remain paused awaiting federal obligating documents.
