Nearly $10 Million in Infrastructure Aid Reaches Alabama Counties 

Release Date: September 30, 2005
Release Number: 1605-045

» More Information on Alabama Hurricane Katrina

MONTGOMERY, Al. -– More than $9.86 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding has been obligated to Alabama’s state and local governments and eligible private non-profit agencies in 22 declared counties to help them recover from the costly damage to public property caused by Hurricane Katrina.

The funds are available through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program which reimburses communities for essential disaster-related expenses and various types of infrastructure damage and loss. FEMA Public Assistance specialists are working closely with state and local government agencies and eligible non-profit organizations to process applications and the reimbursement amount is growing daily.

All declared counties are holding initial kickoff meetings with state and federal Public Assistance Coordinators (PACs) to explain procedures and processes and gather early cost projections.

"These applicants were hard hit by the extraordinary cost of restoring services and safeguarding the public," said Michael Bolch, senior deputy federal coordinating officer for recovery operations. "Public Assistance steps in when such unexpected expenses exceed the reach of local budgets."

Public Assistance became available in Alabama when President Bush issued a major disaster declaration for Alabama counties on August 29. FEMA will pay for 100 percent of all approved costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures through October 27. After that date the standard cost share will apply; 75 percent federal, 25 percent from non-federal sources. That cost-share formula is in effect for all other categories of approved infrastructure restoration.

The Alabama counties eligible for PA are: Baldwin, Bibb, Colbert, Choctaw, Clarke, Cullman, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Marengo, Marion, Mobile, Monroe, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Washington, Wilcox and Winston.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages the federal response and recovery efforts following an incident of national significance. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities to reduce the risk of loss in future disasters, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Friday, 30-Sep-2005 09:02:22