Key Points to Understand Before Starting an Application
- Subawards cannot provide funds in advance of work being performed. This is a reimbursement-only program -- only eligible costs that have been incurred, paid for, and properly documented will be reimbursed.
- Subawards cannot pay for any pre-award activities (i.e., any costs incurred before a grant is awarded are not eligible for reimbursement).
- Subawards cannot pay for work to correct deficiencies that represent deferred maintenance or a lack thereof (e.g., tree removal).
- Subawards cannot pay for any activities associated with a breached dam. Breached dams are already in a very low-risk condition, and thus do not align with this grant program’s overall goal of reducing the risk posed by dams that fail to meet minimum dam safety standards and pose an unacceptable risk to the public.
- Subawards cannot pay for final design engineering unless all preliminary engineering -- including a complete risk analysis and evaluation of rehabilitation alternatives -- has previously been completed. Please consult with SCDES before preparing a grant application that proposes final design engineering.
- This HHPD grant requires the county in which the dam is located to update its County Hazard Mitigation Plan to incorporate “all dam risks”. At present, only Anderson, Oconee, Spartanburg, Pickens, and Richland counties have a Hazard Mitigation Plan that meets this requirement. Therefore, close coordination with your County officials will be necessary. A letter from County officials to FEMA requesting a 12-month extension to update the County Hazard Mitigation Plan is a requirement of a complete application. Failure to receive FEMA approval of the updated County Plan by the 12-month extension deadline will require all federal funds be repaid.
- Subawards require a match of at least 35% in the form of non-federal funds and/or in-kind services. The non-federal match must come from the applicant.
- A privately-owned dam may be eligible, but the owner cannot apply directly. A non-federal government (i.e., state, county, municipal) or a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) non-profit organization are the only entities eligible to apply. An eligible applicant may choose to sponsor a privately-owned dam solely at its own discretion and at its own risk.
- Dam removals are considered “rehabilitation” under this program; therefore, the pre-construction activities associated with dam removal are eligible. Furthermore, SCDES will give priority to any applications that propose dam removal.
- All applicable federal standards and requirements must be satisfied for the awarded HHPD grant and any subawards. Failure to comply with federal grant requirements in the execution of a grant award may result in termination of the grant agreement and collection of some or all federal funds received. Interested applicants not familiar with federal grant requirements are strongly advised to carefully review the DHS Standard Terms and Conditions and Summary of Federal Compliance Requirements before applying.
- A licensed Professional Engineer (PE) registered in South Carolina must assist in the preparation of your subaward grant application. The costs associated with application development are not eligible for reimbursement. Furthermore, engineering services funded from a HHPD grant must be procured in compliance with all federal and state procurement requirements and the applicant’s own procurement policies. Therefore, the engineer assisting with application preparation will not necessarily be the same engineer performing work funded through a grant award.
Questions?
E-mail DESresponse@des.sc.gov and the Dam Safety Program staff will provide assistance.