NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS
June 12, 2025
City of Dubuque Housing and Community Development Department
350 W. 6th Street, Suite 312
Dubuque, IA 52001
563-690-6102
On or about June 30, 2025 the City of Dubuque will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of the Healthy Homes Production Grant (HHP) as authorized by Section 501 and Section 502 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1701z-1 and 1701z-2), and funding for this program is provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118-42, approved March 9, 2024), for the following multi-year program/project May 15, 2025 – May 15, 2029: Healthy Homes Production Grant, for the purpose of identifying and controlling home health and safety interventions in a total of 85 owner-occupied and rental housing units located within the city limits of Dubuque, Iowa. The City of Dubuque is requesting the release of $2.000,000.00 in Healthy Homes Production funds. Match funds totaling $120,993.10 will also contribute to this project.
The proposed hazard control activities to be funded under this program are categorically excluded from the National Environmental Policy Act requirements, but subject to compliance with some of the environmental laws and authorities listed at § 58.5 of 24 CFR Part 58. In accordance with §58.15, a tiered review process has been structured, whereby some environmental laws and authorities have been reviewed and studied for the intended target area(s) listed above. Other applicable environmental laws and authorities will be complied with, when individual projects are ripe for review. Specifically, the target area(s) has/have been studied and compliance with the following laws and authorities have been established in this Tier 1 review: Airport Hazards, Coastal Barrier Resources, Air Quality, Coastal Zone Management, Floodplain Management, Explosive and Flammable Hazards, Endangered Species, Farmlands Protection, Noise Abatement and Control, Sole Source Aquifers, Wetlands Protection, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and Environmental Justice. In the Tiered 2 review, compliance with the following environmental laws and authorities will take place for proposed projects funded under the program(s) listed above: Historic Preservation, Flood Insurance, and Contamination and Toxic Substances. Should individual aggregate projects exceed the threshold for categorical exclusion detailed at §58.35(a), an Environmental Assessment will be completed and a separate Finding of No Significant Impact and Request for Release of Funds published. Copies of the compliance documentation worksheets are available at the address below.
An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for this project, and more fully describes the tiered review process cited above, is on file at 350 W. 6th Street, Ste. 312, Dubuque Iowa 52001, and may be examined or copied on weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A copy is also available to view online at https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/environmental-review/environmental-review-records/.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the City of Dubuque Housing and Community Development Department, 350 W. 6th Street, Ste. 312, Dubuque, IA 52001, by submitting public comment online at cityofdubuque.org, or by emailing mhaverla@cityofdubuque.org. All comments received by June 27, 2025, will be considered by City of Dubuque prior to authorizing submission of a Request for Release of Funds and Environmental Certification to HUD.
RELEASE OF FUNDS
The City of Dubuque certifies to HUD that Cori Burbach in her official capacity as Acting Housing and Community Development Director, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City of Dubuque to utilize federal funds and implement the Program.
OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS
HUD will consider objections to its release of funds and the City of Dubuque certification for a period of fifteen days following either the anticipated submission date (cited above) or HUD’s actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if the objections are on one of the following bases: (a) that the Certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Dubuque; (b) the City of Dubuque has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; (c) the City of Dubuque has committed funds or incurred costs not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58), and may be addressed to HUD as follows: Karen M. Griego, Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, Program Environmental Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 500 Gold Ave SW, 7th Floor, Suite 7301, P.O. Box 906, Albuquerque, NM 87103-0906. Potential objectors may contact HUD directly to verify the actual last day of the objection/comment period.
Cori Burbach
City of Dubuque Acting Housing & Community Development Director
Certifying Officer