A major focus of this Hazard Mitigation Plan will be to identify effective mitigation projects and realistic implementation strategies, including identifying potential funding streams. This includes projects that may be eligible for federal funding through FEMA grants or other federal sources, as well as to projects that may not qualify for federal funding but are still important to a community. This planning process will help lay the groundwork for implementation of both federally fundable and non-federally fundable mitigation projects.
In addition to identifying effective mitigation projects, a Hazard Mitigation Plan will also assist municipalities of Hunterdon County in the following ways:
- Increased understanding of natural and man-made hazards and risk the county faces
- Eligibility for federal funds for pre-disaster mitigation planning under DMA 2000
- Developing partnerships that support planning and mitigation efforts and may offer potential financial savings, including: reduced flood insurance premiums, broader resources for funding of mitigation projects, and enhanced benefit-cost ratios for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects
- Enhanced coordination of hazard mitigation with comprehensive planning and zoning
- Development of more sustainable and disaster-resistant communities
- Reduced long-term impacts and damages to human health and structures, and reduced repair costs
Proactive mitigation leads to the development of sustainable, cost-effective projects. In contrast, reactive mitigation tends to yield "quick-fix" alternatives that may cost much and accomplish little. Proactive mitigation is also far more cost-effective than paying to clean up and rebuild after disasters happen. Danger to population and damage to property can be reduced if the region evaluates where and how disasters may occur, and takes steps to reduce those risks.