PHIPPSBURG, ME – The Town of Phippsburg has been awarded a $126,000 planning grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fund a community-wide Wildfire Protection Plan that will span the entire community from Popham Beach to Winnegance. The FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds projects that will reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural disasters and misadventures by human-caused fires and other causes. These grants are available to states, local governments, and certain non-profit organizations after a major disaster declaration. The HMGP grants cover up to 75% of eligible project costs, with states or local communities contributing the remaining 25%.
The HGMP application to fund a Phippsburg Community Wildfire Protection Plan was prepared by community members with the assistance of the Select Board, the Phippsburg town administrator, Evan Goodkowsky, Fire Chief Andrew Hart, Maine State Hazard Mitigation Officer, Christine Whelan, and Maine Forest Service Ranger Specialist Kent Nelson. The result will be a Phippsburg-town-wide plan to reduce fire risk and will include two years of outreach programs. These programs are intended to engage every home and business owner so that they will be able to undertake fuel reduction activities that will reduce the risks to the entire community. The program will incorporate planning principles of the Federal Firewise Community Program that is presently being utilized by several Phippsburg residential clusters with the support of the Maine Forest Service.
On January 28th the Phippsburg Select Board approved the initiation of the planning process with the formation of a Community Board of community leaders and local experts whose initial focus will be to formulate a Request for Proposals for a CWPP consultant. The Community Wildfire Protection Plan planning and community engagement process will get underway this spring with a general kickoff community-wide meeting at the end of May. Information about the Phippsburg Community Wildfire Protection Plan will be available on the Phippsburg town website.
For more information please contact: Evan Goodkowsky, Phippsburg Town Administrator,
Phipps@phippsburg.com
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