PENSACOLA, Fla. -- FEMA has approved four additional grants totaling $37,785,550 to reimburse three state agencies for emergency work following Hurricane Michael in 2018.
Funding from FEMA’s Public Assistance program will provide the following reimbursements:
* Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: $1,333,703 for emergency protective measures provided during the periods Oct. 7 through 9, 2018 and Nov. 25, 2018 through Feb. 7, 2020, bringing the total of FEMA’s grants for the department’s Hurricane Michael-related expenses to $14 million.
* Florida Department of Environmental Protection: $33,029,736 for debris removal operations throughout St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve between October and December 2019 and the Chipola River and tributaries between February and June 2019. The debris posed a threat to public health and safety. This reimbursement brings the total of FEMA’s grants for the department's Hurricane Michael-related expenses to $42.6 million.
* Florida Department of Transportation: $3,422,083 for debris removal operations throughout Bay County from October through November 2018. The debris posed a threat to public health and safety. This reimbursement brings the total of FEMA’s grants for the department's Hurricane Michael-related expenses to $317.2 million.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. The Florida Division of Emergency Management works with FEMA during all phases of the program and reviews projects prior to FEMA final approval.
Applicants work directly with FEMA to develop projects and scopes of work. FEMA obligates funding for projects to FDEM after final approval.
Once a project is obligated, FDEM works closely with applicants to finalize grants and begin making payments. FDEM has procedures in place designed to ensure grant funding is provided to local communities as quickly as possible.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants to state, tribal and local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.
Source: Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency
