Normally, damaged trees requiring removal are cut flush at the ground. However, when a disaster uproots a tree or stump (i.e., 50% or more of the root ball is exposed) on a public right-of-way, improved public property, or improved property owned by certain private nonprofit organizations, and the exposed root ball poses an immediate threat to life,public health, and safety, FEMA may provide assistance to remove (i.e., extract,  transport, dispose of, and provide  fill for the root cavity) an eligible uprooted tree or stump.

When  eligible, stump  removal must  be  accomplished by the most economical means.

Damaged trees on private property rarely meet the public interest standard because they do not affect the public at large and generally are not the legal responsibility of a State or local government. Trees are the responsibility of the property owner.

There are size requirements. Those requirements and other limitations on the eligibility of stump removal  are described in FEMA Policy 9523.11, Hazardous Stump Extraction and Removal Eligibility.

 Trees, Shrubs, and Other Ground Cover are not eligible for replacement under the Public Assistance Program. This policy applies to trees and shrubs in recreational areas, such as parks, as well as trees and shrubs associated with public  facilities, such as those  located  in the median strips along  roadways and as landscaping for public buildings. Grass and sod are eligible only when necessary to stabilize slopes and minimize sediment runoff.

This policy does not affect removal of tree debris or the removal of trees as emergency protective measures. FEMA will reimburse for the  removal of tree debris and the removal of eligible trees (or uprighting and bracing, if less costly) as emergency protective measures  if the removal does one  of the following:

 Eliminates  an immediate threat to lives, public health, and safety; or

 Eliminates  the immediate threats  of significant  damage to improved public or private property.

However, FEMA will not pay further costs or reimburse for the replacement of uprighted or braced  trees.

If the trees themselves  are the facility (e.g., a sewage filtration system), FEMA may determine them  as eligible.

Eligible vegetative debris may include tree limbs, branches, stumps, or trees that are still in place, but damaged to the extent they pose an immediate threat. These items are not eligible if the hazard existed prior to the incident, or if the item is in a natural area and does not extend over improved property or public-use areas, such as trails, sidewalks, or playgrounds.

Contractors typically charge debris removal based on a unit price for volume (cubic yards) or weight (tons). A hazardous tree or stump may be collected individually. When these items are collected individually, contractors often charge a price per tree or stump based on its size. FEMA encourages Applicants to procure branch or limb removal from trees on a one-time charge per tree basis as opposed to a unit price per limb or branch to facilitate more cost-effective operations. FEMA has specific eligibility criteria and documentation requirements for funding these items based on a price per each item instead of by volume or weight. If the Applicant does not provide sufficient documentation, it will jeopardize its PA funding.

Bracing a tree is eligible (as Category B) only when doing so is less costly than removal and disposal. If the Applicant chooses to brace a tree rather than remove it, the tree is not eligible for removal later if it dies.

Pruning, maintenance, trimming, and landscaping are not eligible.

(a) Broken Limb or Branch Removal

Removal of broken limbs or branches that are 2 inches or larger in diameter (measured at the point of break) that pose an immediate threat are eligible. An example is a broken limb or branch that is hanging over improved property or public-use areas, such as trails, sidewalks, or playgrounds if it could fall and cause injury or damage to improved property.

FEMA does not fund removal of broken limbs or branches located on private property unless:

• The limbs or branches extend over the public ROW;

• The limbs or branches pose an immediate threat; and

• The Applicant removes the hazard from the public ROW (without entering private property).

Only the minimum cut necessary to remove the hazard is eligible. For example, cutting a branch at the trunk is not eligible if the threat can be eliminated by cutting it at the closest main branch junction.

(b) Tree Removal

FEMA considers incident-damaged trees to be hazardous and eligible if the tree has a diameter of 6 inches or greater measured 4.5 feet above ground level, and the tree:

• Has a split trunk;

• Has a broken canopy; or

• Is leaning at an angle greater than 30 degrees.

For trees that have 50 percent or more of the root-ball exposed, removal of the tree and root-ball and filling the root-ball hole are eligible. For contracted removal of a tree with a root-ball, FEMA will not reimburse two separate unit costs to remove the tree and its root-ball.

For trees that have less than 50 percent of the root-ball exposed, FEMA only provides PA funding to flush cut the item at ground level and dispose of the cut portion based on volume or weight. Grinding any residual stump after cutting the tree is not eligible.

(c) Stump Removal

For stumps that have 50 percent or more of the root-ball exposed, removal of the stump and filling the root-ball hole are eligible. If grinding a stump in-place is less costly than extraction, grinding the stump in-place is eligible.

Stump removal in areas with known or high potential for archaeological resources usually requires that FEMA further evaluate and consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) or Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO). If the Applicant discovers any potential archeological resources during stump removal, the Applicant must immediately cease work and notify FEMA.

Contracted Stump Removal

FEMA only reimburses contracted costs charged on a per-stump basis if:

• The stump is 2 feet or larger in diameter measured 2 feet above the ground; and

• Extraction is required as part of the removal.

The Applicant needs to ensure the price for stump removal includes extraction, transport, disposal, and filling the root-ball hole.

For stumps that have less than 50 percent of the root-ball exposed, FEMA only provides PA funding to flush cut the item at ground level and dispose of the cut portion based on volume or weight. Grinding any residual stump is not eligible.

For stumps smaller than 2 feet in diameter, or for stumps of any size that do not require extraction, FEMA only provides PA funding based on volume or weight as removal of these stumps does not require special equipment. If the Applicant claims reimbursement of these stumps on a per stump basis, FEMA limits PA funding based on a unit price for volume or tons, calculated using the Stump Conversion Table (Appendix E).

If the Applicant incurs additional costs in picking up stumps 2 feet or larger in diameter that the contractor did not extract, it should complete the Hazardous Stump Worksheet (Appendix F) and present documentation to substantiate the costs as reasonable based on the equipment required to perform the work.

(d) Documentation Requirements

The Applicant must provide all of the following documentation to support the eligibility of removing tree limbs, branches, stumps, or trees that are still in place:

• Specifics of the immediate threat with the U.S. National Grid (USNG) location and photograph or video documentation that establishes the item is on public property;

• Diameter of each item removed (measurement must be 2 feet up the trunk from the ground for stumps and 4.5 feet up for trees);

• Quantity of material to fill root-ball holes; and

• Equipment used to perform the work.

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