Longmont’s flood recovery and protection efforts, known collectively as Resilient St. Vrain, have taken a major step forward with action taken by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

FEMA has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on the project’s Final Environmental Assessment (EA). The finding means that the environmental analysis and review by the consulting agencies have determined that the project’s work will have no significant impact on the quality of the environment.

The EA is a critical component of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated with several improvement projects planned along St. Vrain Creek in response to the 2013 floods through Longmont. The EA also documents how our community would be impacted if no protection efforts were made.

A draft of the EA document was made available for public review and comment from March 30-April 29, 2016. Comments received were reviewed and addressed as appropriate in the final EA, which can be viewed at bit.ly/ea-fonsi.

“FEMA’s finding of no significant impact is one of the major steps in moving the Resilient St. Vrain project forward,” said Nick Wolfrum, Director of Engineering Services for the City of Longmont and project manager for Resilient St. Vrain. “We are on track to move into the first phase of construction later this year.”

Construction along St. Vrain Creek is anticipated to begin this fall in the Sandstone Ranch area as well as in the first urban area (known as the City Reach) reach extending from Main Street to where St. Vrain meets Left Hand Creek (east of Martin Street).

Work in the Sandstone area will focus on restoring portions of the St. Vrain Greenway trail through the district park area and bank stabilization to protect trails, access roads and infrastructure from future flood damage.

Work in the City Reach will focus on restoration of the greenway trail, as well as resiliency to future flooding by improving the channel to protect public and private infrastructure from damage caused by future flood events.

Resilient St. Vrain is an extensive, multi-year undertaking to strengthen our community by reducing the size of the floodplain through Longmont, while also restoring the valuable community asset of the St. Vrain Greenway. Work on future phases along the creek channel will take place as full funding is secured.

For more information, visit LongmontColorado.gov/ResilientStVrain or call 303-651-8736.