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Release Date: January 15, 2009
For Immediate Release
Contact: Rebecca S. Cotton, 202-325-0197
New Orleans, La. - General Douglas O'Dell, Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, announced today there have been more than 56,000 hits since mid-August on the Transparency Initiative Web Tool, first unveiled by the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding (OFC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in early 2008. The Web tool is designed to infuse greater accountability and transparency into the public assistance process and to empower local decision makers and residents with invaluable information on rebuilding critical sectors of their local communities.
"It's vital that individuals in the Gulf Coast and interested stakeholders at the local, state and national level are able to see how taxpayer dollars are being used to make further progress in rebuilding the Gulf and to substantively improve the lives of locals as they continue to rebuild their communities," O'Dell said. "This Web Tool is an integral part of infusing public accountability and transparency into the overall rebuilding effort, and I am encouraged, though not surprised, to see the proven usefulness of the Transparency Web Tool. We have a responsibility to the American taxpayer and to citizens of the Gulf Region to bring transparency to the rebuilding effort at every level and at each juncture."
The Web tool—www.femarecovery.gov—which was first announced in January of 2008 to map the status of rebuilding schools, was expanded in November of 2008 to include the status of rebuilding other sectors of the local infrastructure such as health/hospitals, public works, historic/cultural and public safety/criminal justice. As the Web site further expands to cover more sectors, the site traffic increases exponentially, demonstrating the high level of interest in the Web Tool and the progress of rebuilding these key sectors of the infrastructure.
"I'm excited to see the steady increase in usage of the transparency Web site. This reassures us that it is serving its intended purpose of providing the public with information on recovery projects in their communities," said Jim Stark, assistant administrator for FEMA's Gulf Coast recovery Web site. "As awareness continues to spread about the Web site, hopefully more Louisiana residents will use it as a reliable resource regarding FEMA's recovery efforts throughout the state."
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff presented the OFC with one of the Department's highest awards, the Secretary's Award for Team DHS Excellence, for working closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish the Transparency Initiative Web Tool.
The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding has been engaged in facilitating and streamlining the recovery effort, providing key federal support and resources to state and local leaders, as well as reinforcing the federal government's commitment to the people of the Gulf Coast.
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This page was last reviewed/modified on January 15, 2009.
