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Resolution Supporting the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Resilience Improvement Planning Grant Application Through the United States Department of Transportation’s Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation Discretionary Grant Program
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Department: |
WMPO |
Meeting Date: |
1/21/2025 |
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Contact Name: |
Greer Templer |
Public Hearing: |
N/A |
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Contact Phone: |
910-341-0107 |
Advertising Date/Advertised By: |
N/A |
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Attachments: |
Resolution |
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this resolution is to support the application from the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (“WMPO”) in developing a resilience improvement plan for the Wilmington metropolitan region through the US DOT’s Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (“PROTECT”) grant program.
BACKGROUND:
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the PROTECT grant program with $1.4 billion in appropriated funds over 5 years. The PROTECT program funds projects that strengthen the resilience of the surface transportation system, including highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail, in response to evolving environmental conditions.
The PROTECT program supports the development of a resilience improvement plan that identifies and addresses vulnerabilities in transportation infrastructure, ensuring its ability to withstand and recover from natural disasters and climate-related disruptions. The PROTECT program provides funding for four types of grants: planning, resilience improvement, community resilience and evacuation route, and at-risk coastal infrastructure. The PROTECT program further encourages an eligible resilience improvement plan to be in place before applying to implement projects and strategies.
PROTECT planning grants require no local match for the development of a resilience improvement plan. If awarded funding, the full cost of the plan will be covered by federal funds at a 100% cost share.
The FY 24-25 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the PROTECT grant is currently posted. Applications from eligible entities must be submitted by February 24, 2025. WMPO staff have begun development of a planning grant application, which includes resolutions of support from its member jurisdictions and letters of support from other planning partners. If WMPO’s application is awarded and a resilience improvement plan is subsequently developed, all of the organization’s member jurisdictions will be eligible to apply for PROTECT implementation grants in future funding rounds.
budget
BUDGET IMPACT:
N/A
recommendation
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED:
It is recommended that the City of Wilmington support the application from the WMPO to develop a resilience improvement plan for the Wilmington metropolitan region through the PROTECT grant program.