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<br />1-1 <br />CHAPTER 1. <br />INTRODUCTION TO THE PLANNING PROCESS <br /> <br />1.1 WHY PREPARE THIS PLAN? <br />1.1.1 The Big Picture <br />Hazard mitigation is defined as the use of long- and short-term strategies to reduce or alleviate the loss of <br />life, personal injury, and property damage that can result from a disaster. It involves strategies such as <br />planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other activities that can mitigate the impacts of hazards. <br />The responsibility for hazard mitigation lies with many, including private property owners; business and <br />industry; and local, state and federal government. <br />The federal Disaster Mitigation Act (DMA) of 2000 (Public Law 106-390) required state and local <br />governments to develop hazard mitigation plans as a condition for federal disaster grant assistance. Prior to <br />2000, federal disaster funding focused on disaster relief and recovery, with limited funding for hazard <br />mitigation planning. The DMA increased the emphasis on planning for disasters before they occur. <br />The DMA encourages state and local authorities to work together on pre-disaster planning, and it promotes <br />sustainability and resilience for disaster resistance. Sustainable hazard mitigation includes the sound <br />management of natural resources and the recognition that hazards and mitigation must be understood in the <br />largest possible social and economic context. The enhanced planning network called for by the DMA helps <br />local governments articulate accurate needs for mitigation, resulting in faster allocation of funding and more <br />cost-effective risk reduction projects. <br />1.1.2 Local Concerns <br />Several factors initiated the original planning effort and continue to be concerns for this update: planning <br />effort: <br />• Kittitas County has had significant exposure to several natural hazards that have caused <br />millions of dollars in damage in the past. <br />• Limited local resources make it difficult to be pre-emptive in risk reduction initiatives. Being <br />able to leverage federal financial assistance is paramount to successful hazard mitigation in the <br />area. <br />• Kittitas County and local jurisdictions want to be proactive in preparing for and reducing the <br />impacts of natural hazards and disasters. <br />With these factors in mind, Kittitas County committed to the preparation and subsequent update of this plan <br />by attaining grant funding for the effort and then securing technical assistance to facilitate a planning <br />process that would comply with all program requirements. Kittitas County recognized that disasters are not <br />always contained within political boundaries and therefore invited multiple local jurisdictions <br />(municipalities and special purpose districts) within the county to participate as partners in the hazard <br />mitigation planning update process.