Hazard Mitigation Planning
HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING: WHAT IS IT?
All-Hazard plans attempt to reduce the impact of expected but unpredictable natural and human-caused hazardous events by developing goals, strategies, and local projects/actions to increase the disaster resistance of the region and each local jurisdiction. The list of projects chosen to be completed during the next planning cycle at the regional and local levels may be chosen and prioritized based upon a number of factors including but not limited to, the risk of damage by a particular hazard event, community support, technical feasibility and administrative capacity to undertake the mitigation project, political will, budget constraints, and environmental impact.
Mitigation plans are beneficial first and foremost for community preparedness. They are a tool to identify cost effective actions for risk reduction agreed upon by the public and by public officials. Further, mitigation plans also focus resources on the greatest risks and vulnerabilities to the community. They also build partnerships, increase education and awareness of hazards and risks, and align risk reduction with other community objectives, such as economic development or infrastructure maintenance.
Mitigation plans also serve two other purposes. First, changes to Vermont’s Emergency Relief and Assistance Fund (ERAF) require an adopted mitigation plan as part of the criteria for a greater state share to match federal disaster relief. Second, changes to municipal plan elements now require municipal plans to address flood resiliency. If it meets statutory requirements, the mitigation plan can now fulfill that municipal plan requirement.
Belvidere, Cambridge, Eden, Elmore, Hyde Park, Jeffersonville, Johnson, Morristown, Stowe, Waterville, and Wolcott have all updated there HazMit Plans to conform to the new standards.