Upper Loup Natural Resources District Hazard Mitigation Plan Update
about the project
The Upper Loup Natural Resources District (ULNRD) has completed the update to their Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) with the assistance of JEO Consulting Group. An HMP is a community-guided document which identifies vulnerability to natural and man-made hazards and mitigation projects to reduce or eliminate such risks. Having an approved HMP is a requirement of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for jurisdictions to become eligible for several grant funding options. Having an approved and updated plan enables your community to be stronger and more resilient by:
- Reducing your community’s risk and impacts from disasters;
- Gaining eligibility for pre- and post-disaster mitigation grants; and
- Builds partnerships and relationships with stakeholders within your community and region.
Hazard Mitigation Plans are required to be updated and approved every five years. The next ULNRD HMP will take place in 2029-2030. Throughout this planning process, members of the community including school districts, fire departments, airports, hospitals, residents, and business owners will be invited to participate by attending public meetings and providing information for the plan.
2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan – FEMA Approved
The Upper Loup NRD Hazard Mitigation Plan has been reviewed and approved by NEMA and FEMA. Copies of the approved plan and all jurisdictional profiles are available to download below.
Upper Loup NRD Participant Profiles
2024-2025 Plan Update Process
Project Meetings
The 2025 plan update included public meetings to provide an opportunity for community members and interested stakeholders to learn about the plan and provide input. These meetings were hosted in each hosted in communities across the planning area.
Kick-off Meeting & BBQ
Jurisdictions within the NRD were invited to serve on the Regional Planning Team for the Upper Loup NRD Hazard Mitigation Plan. Representatives from each jurisdiction were encouraged to attend the Kick-off meeting to learn about the hazard mitigation plan, converse with neighbors, and enjoy some BBQ. A project Kick-off Meeting & BBQ was held:
Hazard Mitigation Plan Kick-off Meeting & BBQ
Thursday, June 15th, 6:30pm – 8:30pm CT
Upper Loup NRD Office – Learning Center
39252 Hwy 2, Thedford, NE 69166
Meeting minutes from the Kick-off meeting are available HERE.
Key take-aways from the meeting included:
- Updates to some Hazard Mitigation Goals and Objectives
- See updated Meeting Handouts HERE
- Updates to some hazards for plan evaluation – total of 12 hazards to be addressed
- Combined Chemical Fixed Sites & Chemical Transportation into Hazardous Materials Release
- Changed Civil Disorder to Terrorism & Civil Disorder
- Changed Extreme Heat to Extreme Temperatures to include Cold
- Combined Hail with Severe Thunderstorms
- Combined High Winds with Tornadoes
Jurisdiction Meetings
Jurisdiction specific meetings were held to review and update the existing jurisdictional profiles to comply with new regulatory guidance. More importantly, these meetings provided an opportunity to talk about specific disaster impacts and capacity building strategies for each community.
All meetings were open to the public and anyone was encouraged to attend who may have concerns or input in the area. Each meeting discussed the specifics to the community in which it is held.
Project Survey
A district wide project survey was available during the plan update process to collect local input.
