BATON ROUGE, La. –As Hurricane Isaac bore down on Louisiana just over two weeks ago, federal and state emergency personnel, local first responders and citizens swung into action to help provide for the safety and emergency needs of Louisianians.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has now obligated more than $7.6 million to state agencies and a levee district to help reimburse costs incurred for the emergency protective measures taken to help meet those critical emergency needs.
The funds have been obligated to reimburse the Louisiana National Guard, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the Lafitte Area Independent Levee District in Jefferson Parish. The assistance will help pay for emergency items like sandbags, water and pre-packed meals.
“Our state partners went to great lengths to protect Louisianians and their property during the storm,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Hall. “Helping to ease their financial burden afterwards is one way we can help them recover.”
FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program reimburses the state 75 percent of the cost for eligible work while the state covers the remaining 25 percent. Funding is available to eligible state agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations and federally recognized tribal governments that provide essential services to the general public.
The major disaster declaration designated 55 parishes eligible to apply for Public Assistance supplementary funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures. On Sept. 12, FEMA approved 14 of the parishes for additional Public Assistance supplementary funding for infrastructure repairs. Federal and state officials continue damage assessments to gather information to help support any additional requests the state may make for assistance.
For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, go online at www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.