Committee accepts FEMA funding to update Tompkins County hazard mitigation plan; members note eligibility gap

The Planning, Energy, and Environmental Quality Committee voted unanimously to accept FEMA subrecipient funding to update the Tompkins County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Staff said the county had been waiting about 2.5 years for the funding and that the current plan expires this month, which would make municipalities ineligible for some federal mitigation programs until the update is completed.

"We've been waiting on this funding for about 2.5 years," a planning staff member said, explaining the award will allow the county to refresh data, better understand risks, and create actions that feed other grant programs. Committee members asked whether the gap left municipalities ineligible for federal funding; staff confirmed that expiration disqualifies jurisdictions for FMA and BRIC funding but noted that declared-disaster reimbursement programs remain a separate mechanism for assistance.

Staff described a recent shift by state and federal partners to an online platform that front-loads data and supports a stepped approach to move planning outputs into shovel-ready projects. The committee accepted the funding and requested updates about contracting and the consultant selection timeline once the state sends a contract.