BORDERLAND
Village of Ottawa to get $746,077 from FEMA
1/25/2014The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday announced the release of $746,077 in funding to the flood-prone Putnam County village of Ottawa.
The money is to be used for the acquisition and demolition of nine residential structures and the acquisition of one adjacent vacant parcel located in the Blanchard River floodplain.
The funding, through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, “enables communities to implement critical mitigation measures to reduce the risk of losing lives and property,” said Andrew Velasquez III, administrator of FEMA Region V.
“The acquisition of these homes permanently removes the structures from the floodplain and greatly reduces the financial impact on individuals and the community when future flooding occurs in this area,” Mr. Velasquez said.
Ottawa, with a population of about 4,400 and 63 miles southeast of Toledo, frequently floods after heavy rainfalls cause the Blanchard to rise above its banks.
The funding will pay 75 percent of the $994,769 project cost; the remaining funding — $248,692 — will be provided by the state of Ohio and by Ottawa, federal officials said.