The Kenai Peninsula Borough has updated its Hazard Mitigation Plan to include the cities of Seldovia and Seward.
The plan evaluates hazards and mitigation recommendations for the five-year period of 2024-2029 specific to infrastructure, critical facilities and communities, according to a press release from the borough.
The plan is a federal requirement in the event that the borough needs to seek funding from FEMA for mitigation projects, Brenda Ahlberg, emergency manager for the borough, said. It is developed with input from state and federal agencies, community members and KPB Local Emergency Planning Committee. Advisory planning commissions provided updated information for the 2024 plan. It is administered through the Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management.
“Essentially, it starts with our communities and asking them to not only to provide input and recommendations on priority projects that would address hazards.”
Ahlberg said this is the first time the borough plan has incorporated the cities of Seldovia as Seward.
Hazards can be defined as either natural or human caused, she said.
The updated Kenai Peninsula Borough mitigation plan identifies the following eight general mitigation goals that will be pursued to reduce hazard risk in the borough:
Protect the borough population by mitigating or lessening hazard effects;
Identify and expand on an understanding of the hazards that affect the borough;
Identify and prioritize evaluations, upgrades and retrofit measures for KPB critical facilities and infrastructure that are hazard vulnerable;
Educate the borough population on hazard awareness, personal responsibility, preparation and response;
Identify, enhance and utilize existing resources for hazard reduction;
Identify the hazards applicable to critical infrastructure and mitigation opportunities for reducing those hazards;
Prioritize and implement projects to reduce hazard risk and increase resilience; and
Use each hazard event as an educational opportunity.
There are 16 pages in the document that present a table of specific goals and proposed mitigation actions for the KPB, City of Seldovia and City of Seward. The table identifies a description of the hazard, the location area, agency responsible for addressing the hazard, priority rating, cost and benefit analysis, funding sources, timeline for action, additional applicable plans and if the mitigation is new or ongoing.
An example of a high priority issue for Seward is continued maintenance, upgrades and debris storage to help manage erosion and sediment accumulation, including Lowell Creek Outfall, Lowell Point Road and culverts throughout the borough. A second example is to resolve the Lowell Creek Diversion Tunnel issues and outfall sediment.
An example of a high priority issue for Seldovia is to partner with Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and U.S. Geological Survey to establish monitoring of Lowell Point Road and Jakolof Bay Road. A second, medium priority issue, is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on improved upper dam access for fish passage from stream, and upgrades to aging dam infrastructure.
The full draft HMP finalized in August is a 254-page document that outlines what kind of hazards communities might face and what is in place to respond to those hazards. The borough is looking for community feedback through Sept. 1. Feedback can to be review the mitigation goals and strategies or the entire plan.
Public comments for the KPB HMP can be submitted to the following online survey: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/874aaa0e2e09460a82a6f9c0ad21881c. Comments are due by Sept. 1.
