Applicant. Any Federal agency which submits an application for emergency relief and which has authority to repair or reconstruct Federal roads.

Betterments. Added protective features, such as, the relocation or rebuilding of roadways at a higher elevation or the extension, replacement or raising of bridges, and added facilities not existing prior to the natural disaster or catastrophic failure such as additional lanes, upgraded surfacing, or structures.

Catastrophic failure. The sudden failure of a major element or segment of a Federal road which is not primarily attributable to gradual and progressive deterioration or lack of proper maintenance. The closure of a facility because of imminent danger of collapse is not in itself a sudden failure.

Emergency repairs. Those repairs, including necessary preliminary engineering (PE), construction engineering (CE), and temporary traffic operations, undertaken during or immediately after a natural disaster or catastrophic failure (1) to restore essential travel, (2) to protect remaining facilities, or (3) to minimize the extent of damage.

Federal roads. Forest highways, forest development roads and trails, park roads and trails, parkways, public lands highways, public lands development roads and trails, and Indian reservation roads as defined under 23 U.S.C. 101(a).

Finding. A letter or other official correspondence issued by the Direct Federal Division Engineer (DFDE) to a Federal agency giving notification that pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 125, Federal roads have (Affirmative Finding) or have not (Negative Finding) been found to have suffered serious damage as the result of (1) a natural disaster over a wide area, or (2) a catastrophic failure.

Natural disaster. An unusual natural occurrence such as a flood, hurricane, severe storm, tidal wave, earthquake, or landslide which causes serious damage.

Permanent work. Repair or reconstruction to pre-disaster or other allowed geometric and construction standards and related PE and CE.

Direct Federal Division Engineer. Director of one of the Direct Federal field offices located in Vancouver, WA; Denver, CO; and Arlington, VA.