Environmental and Historical Compliance

Environmental Compliance

Key Points

Applicants are responsible for complying with applicable Federal, State, Territorial, or Tribal Environmental Historic Preservation laws even if FEMA is not providing PA funding for all of the work. Visit the FEMA Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation for more information.

Several statutes, Executive Orders, and regulations establish requirements to protect the environment and preserve the Nation's historic and prehistoric resources. FEMA must review each Public Assistance project to ensure the work complies with applicable Federal environmental and historic preservation laws and their implementing regulations, and applicable Executive Orders.

The Applicant is responsible for complying with applicable Federal, State, Territorial, or Tribal environmental and historic preservation laws even if FEMA is not providing Public Assistance funding for all of the work.


Detailed Discussion

It is FEMA's policy to act with care to ensure that its disaster response and recovery, mitigation and preparedness responsibilities are carried out in a manner that is consistent with all Federal environmental and historic preservation policies and laws. FEMA uses all practical means and measures to protect, restore and enhance the quality of the environment, to avoid or minimize adverse impacts to the environment, and to attain the objectives of:

  1. Achieving use of the environment without degradation or undesirable and unintended consequences;
  2. Preserving historic, cultural and natural aspects of national heritage and maintaining, wherever possible, an environment that supports diversity and variety of individual choice;
  3. Achieving a balance between resource use and development within the sustained carrying capacity of the ecosystem involved; and
  4. Enhancing the quality of renewable resources and working toward the maximum attainable recycling of depletable resources.


Related Guidance Categories

This website  is intended as a national source of information about  the delivery of  financial recovery services. It includes resources on eligibility, procurement, grant management delivery, and issues related to various Federal Programs currently supporting FEMA  Public Assistance program  financial recovery for governments and non-profits. This website is not affiliated or endorsed or sponsored  by  FEMA  or any other Federal grant program. The information provided in various webpage documents is derived largely from Federal  published materials. In general, under section 105 of the Copyright Act, such works are not entitled to domestic copyright protection under U.S. law and are therefore in the public domain.  The goal is to help navigate the various Federal websites and summarize grant information and requirements. It does not constitute legal advice or grant management advise and is provided for general informational purposes only. Only the Federal Agency responsible for grants can make determinations on eligibility and grant amounts. You should consult with your professional services advisors and State and Federal Grant Coordinators for more detailed guidance on specific FEMA Public Assistance financial recovery issues.

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