In coordination with other mayors across Pinellas County, St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth T. Welch is leading a request to federal appropriators for additional funding and support for environmental resilience programs aimed at raising homes, hardening infrastructure, and developing long-term strategies to mitigate disasters.
The request emphasizes the need for increased funding for key discretionary grants administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program (HMGP), Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA).
“I am grateful to my fellow mayors for joining me in this vital request that will benefit Pinellas County residents,” said Mayor Welch. “This proposed increase in federal funding would allow St. Petersburg to help more residents make their homes more resilient during seasonal and storm flooding and sea level rise.”
Joining Mayor Welch in this request are: Mayor Ayoub of Safety Harbor, Mayor Brown of Largo, Mayor Gattis of Belleair Beach, Mayor Hendrickson of Redington Shores, Mayor Houseberg of Indian Rocks Beach, Mayor Payne of Treasure Island, Mayor Rector of Clearwater, Mayor Rostek of Madeira Beach, Mayor Saracki of Oldsmar, Mayor Bujalski of Dunedin, Mayor Wilkinson of Belleair, and Mayor Zemaitis of Kenneth City.
“As communities across the Tampa Bay area face increasingly severe flooding due to stronger storms, hurricanes and rising sea levels fueled by the changing climate, it is critical we make significant investments in resiliency initiatives that protect Florida families and our way of life,” said U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14). “I am proud to support our Pinellas mayors in calling on federal appropriators to ensure our community leaders have the resources they need to keep our neighbors safe and our economy strong. This will build on my successful Community Project Funding request in fiscal year 2024 of $1,383,069 to provide for storm drainage improvements to alleviate flooding in St. Petersburg. These critical dollars, along with a well-funded FEMA, will help reduce costly storm damage while building stronger, more resilient communities for future generations.”
“I support our local officials’ efforts to ensure our communities in Pinellas County are prepared for natural disasters,” said U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13). “Investing in resilient infrastructure is not only a matter of safety but also of fiscal prudence that would prevent more costly expenditures in the future. Our nation must prioritize these essential programs to ensure our communities are fortified and our citizens remain secure even in the face of adversity.”
The City of St. Petersburg’s commitment to infrastructure was reaffirmed at the Resilience Community Listening Session hosted by the city in February 2024. During the session, residents were invited to meet with city officials to discuss flooding and coastal resilience for areas hardest hit by recent storms. Residents from high flood risk areas had an opportunity to share feedback on making their communities more resilient.
More information about the session can be found at stpete.org/ListeningSession.
