Hurricane Katrina Mississippi Recovery Update: June 2008
Release Date: June 30, 2008
Release Number: 1604-660
» More Information on Mississippi Hurricane Katrina
BILOXI, Miss. -- The following is a summary of Mississippi recovery efforts as of June 25, 2008:
Individual support continues with nearly $1.3 billion to individuals and families:
- 216,554 individuals and families have been approved for Housing Assistance totaling more than $852 million;
- 134,831 Mississippians have been approved for more than $415 million in Other Needs Assistance (ONA);
- 5,536 temporary housing units (travel trailers and mobile homes) in service. More than 37,000 units have been deactivated.
About 2,700 Mississippi families have been moved from FEMA temporary housing into a Mississippi Cottage. The Mississippi Cottage is a part of the Mississippi Alternative Housing Program, which is administered by MEMA and is funded by a $280 million federal grant. For more information about the program, visit www.mscottage.org.
Through an intra-agency agreement between FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard, the marine debris removal effort restores Mississippi's coastal and inland waterways:
- The U.S. Coast Guard, utilizing local companies, has cleared more than 387,000 cubic yards of marine debris from coastal waters in Harrison, Hancock and Jackson counties since May 2006.
- Fourteen of the 15 contracts have been completed. The remaining contract in the marsh areas north of Bay St. Louis in Hancock County is in the final stage. Nearly 80,000 cubic yards of debris has been removed from this area alone.
- Jackson County: 74,296 cubic yards
- Harrison County: 196,705 cubic yards
- Hancock County: 116,253 cubic yards
More than $2.8 billion has been obligated in various Public Assistance (PA) categories:
- More than $708 million obligated for land-based debris removal; more than $900 million in Direct Federal Assistance funds were obligated to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the land-based debris removal mission.
- To date, more than 46 million cubic yards of debris has been removed that's equal to a football field stacked approximately 4.9 miles high.
- $820 million to repair public utilities;
- $599 million to repair or replace public buildings;
- $377 million for emergency protective measures;
- $62 million to repair roads and bridges;
- $1.3 million to repair water control devices such as ditches and irrigation channels.
- $142 million to repair and restore public recreational facilities such as state parks;
- $129 million to meet the costs of administering the PA grants.
MEMA administers PA funds. To date, MEMA has disbursed more than $1.4 billion to PA applicants for debris removal and rebuilding projects including bridges, public buildings and utilities.
Preparing today for tomorrow's disasters:
- FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) brings together federal, state, and local governments to prepare communities for future events.
- MEMA, as designated by the governor of Mississippi, administers the HMGP. MEMA provides eligible grant applicants with assistance in mitigation planning, project selection, application development and reimbursement.
- FEMA has already obligated $58.1 million for various Hazard Mitigation projects throughout Mississippi.
- Currently, FEMA has 56 state-approved applications for new Hazard Mitigation projects totaling nearly $84 million. HMGP funds will cover nearly $70 million of the total project costs.
- Across the state, 251 jurisdictions have MEMA/FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation plans.
- As of June 30, 1,961 Safe Room grants have been completed using more than $5 million in HMGP funds.
- Specific efforts are being directed to non-profit rural water system and drainage projects.
- The amount of funding available for the HMGP following a disaster is 7.5 percent of the total amount of federal assistance. More than $413 million in HMGP funds are available for Mississippi.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 02-Jul-2008 10:03:58