To: All interested Federal, State, and Local Agencies, Groups and Individuals
This is to give notice that HUD under Title 24 CFR Part 58 has conducted an evaluation as required by Executive Order 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 55.20 in Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Wetlands Protection. The activity is funded under the Cameron Sewer Upgrades Project #12LDRC7703. The proposed project is located within the Cameron Parish Water and Wastewater District 1 sewer line system in Cameron, Cameron Parish, Louisiana and is located in the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain that includes Limit Impact Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA). The extent of the FFRMS floodplain was determined using a Climate Informed Science Approach (CISA), 0.2 percent flood approach and freeboard value approach for critical action infrastructure. The project involves implementing improvements to eleven (11) of nineteen (19) existing sewer lift-stations along approximately seven and a half (7.5) linear miles of an existing sewer flowline infrastructure with proposed work being less than 1% improvements to the entire sewer flowline system’s infrastructure as follows: exchanging existing sewer lift-station pumps and associated metal component within existing sewer sump basin with non-corrosive stainless steel metal components; converting above ground pumps to submersible non-corrosive metal pump unit as applicable for existing pumps within existing sump basin; and elevating existing electrical boxes on existing electrical poles to meet current floodplain compliance elevation standards at the respective eleven (11) sewer lift-station locations. No change to size, capacity or function of infrastructure or land use is proposed for this project. All proposed work is confined within existing sump basins with work constrained within each sump basin areas identified to be less than 6% of the entire lift-station footprint area. No expanded land use from within the existing infrastructures for improvements is being proposed under this project. This sewer flowline system is within a Special High Risk Flood Area (SHFA) identified as Flood-risk zone “AE” within a LiMWA area on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood map panel # 22023CO700H.
Cameron Parish Police Jury has considered the following alternatives and mitigation measures to minimize adverse impacts and to preserve natural and beneficial functions and intrinsic values of the existing floodplain: (i) The entire public sewer flowline system within the community of Cameron, Louisiana, is within the SHFA – AE flood-zone of an area identified as LiMWA with no technically feasible practicable alternative footprint for proposed work. (ii) reasonable alternatives considered for proposed work was to include improvements to all nineteen (19) sewer lift-stations within the entire sewer flowline system but was non-selected due to funding constraints. Additionally, a no action alternative was considered but non-selected due to continued salt-water corrosion impacts to current system pumps identified as posing a high risk of sewer-line failures and breach of concealed lines from within the contained system causing interruptions to public sewer system and threat of hazardous spill concerns. (iii) mitigation measures to minimize adverse impacts to the natural and human environment include restricting all work to within the existing sump basin footprints, temporarily closing valves to respective pumps for disconnecting service of lift-station during work and vacuum truck pumping sludge for removal and appropriate disposal. Any spills associated will be reported to LDEQ and treated as hazardous spill. The proposed work was considered by the Local Coastal Zone Administrator, Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy (LDCE), Office of Permitting and Compliance (OPC), Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) to have no direct or significant impacts. Stipulations for no significant impacts requires reporting sludge spills outside of contain sewer system as hazardous spill for LDEQ to
regulate; submit as-built drawings to LDCE, OPC within 30-days of completed work; removal of abandon infrastructure within 120 days of abandonment; marking or lighting infrastructure as may be applicable to U.S. Coast Guard; and complying with Louisiana One Call system prior to work. Additionally, a no significant impact determination is conditional on compliance with all state and local floodplain and wetland protection procedures as required.
Cameron Parish Police Jury has reevaluated alternatives to building in the floodplain and has determined that it has no practicable alternative to floodplain development. Environmental files documenting compliance with Executive Order 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, are available for public inspection, review and copying upon request at the times and location delineated in the last paragraph of this notice for receipt of comments.
There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in floodplain and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about floodplain can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplain, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.
Written comments must be received by the Cameron Parish Police Jury at the following address on or before February 2, 2026. Cameron Parish Police Jury, 148 Smith Circle Drive, Cameron, Louisiana, 70631 and 337-775-2608, Attention: Katie Armentor, Parish Administrator. A full description of the project may also be reviewed from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM at the above or via website https://cameronpj.org. Comments may also be submitted via email at adminasst@cameronpj.org
Date: January 26, 2026