Sioux Valley Energy is working with Pipestone County officials as they update the county’s Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The plan assesses the natural hazards that pose risk to the county, such as flooding, tornadoes, windstorms, winter storms, extreme temperatures, wildfire, and drought. The plan identifies local vulnerabilities and ways to minimize damage from future events. As the Pipestone County Office of Emergency Management works with U-Spatial at the University of Minnesota Duluth on the project, it also wants to hear from the public.
Comments on how severe weather events impact property and lives are being collected as part of the process. Residents of cities and townships, local businesses, and other stakeholders are encouraged to share their ideas on how to reduce local impacts in the future.
Examples of hazard mitigation include:
- Conducting public outreach on severe weather awareness and preparedness
- Improving stormwater management systems to better handle high-rain events
- Removing existing buildings from flood or erosion prone hazard areas
- Increasing defensible space around homes in high-risk wildfire areas
- Constructing tornado safe rooms in vulnerable areas such as mobile home parks
Some mitigation activities may be eligible for future FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant funding.
The plan will be updated by a team made up of representatives from county departments, local municipalities, and other key stakeholders. When completed, the plan will be submitted to the Minnesota Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for approval.
The following QR code may be used to directly access the HMP public feedback form:
