Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Hazard Mitigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County urged to adopt 2026 hazard mitigation plan after FEMA issues approvable status
Summary
New Castle County emergency managers told the Public Safety Committee that FEMA has designated the 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan "approvable pending adoption," and council adoption is required to secure federal mitigation grant eligibility.
Brandon Toole, co-chair of the New Castle County Council Public Safety Committee, opened the July 14 meeting with a presentation on the county's updated 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan and said the county will seek formal action after a staff briefing.
Chris Ochsden, coordinator of Emergency Management, told council that FEMA returned an "approvable pending adoption" determination two weeks earlier and that final federal approval depends on County Council adoption. "So as soon as we get adopted, our federal minute hazard mitigation plan goes in," Ochsden said during the presentation.
Kristen Welch, the county's natural hazards planner, summarized the five-year update and said the plan ranks hazards by likelihood, impact and county vulnerability. "Flooding remains our highest hazard due to its frequency and damage potential," Welch said. She also listed winter storms, thunderstorms, transportation and hazardous materials as significant risks tied to the county's transportation network and industrial activity.
Welch emphasized that plan adoption preserves eligibility for federal mitigation funding but does not itself obligate the county to undertake projects or spend local money. "Adoption itself doesn't obligate the county to undertake projects or spend funds," she said, adding that several grant application windows are expected in the coming months.
Councilwoman Kilpatrick asked whether homeowners would lose access to the National Flood Insurance Program without the plan; Welch replied that an approved hazard mitigation plan is required for NFIP eligibility. Chair Toole introduced Resolution 26-61-152, described in the agenda as the resolution to adopt the New Castle County multi-jurisdictional all-hazard mitigation plan 2026 update, and asked Councilman Koneko to summarize; Koneko deferred to the presentation and invited any further questions.
No final adoption vote was recorded in the meeting transcript. If the council adopts the resolution in a subsequent session and participating municipalities follow suit, FEMA will issue final approval and the county will retain eligibility for federal mitigation grants.
