Plaquemines Sheriff's Detention Center Receives $56.6 Million
Release Date: October 28, 2009
Release Number: 1603-884
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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Earlier today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) met with officials from the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office and announced nearly $56.6 million in additional public assistance support for the construction of the community’s new detention center.
“Hurricane Katrina completely devastated the Plaquemines Parish community, including destroying the Plaquemines Sheriff’s Detention Center,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office Acting Director Tony Russell. “Currently, only land remains at the former site of the facility, and the additional funding that we have provided supports the Sheriff’s goal to rebuild a brand new facility that will better withstand potential future storms.”
During Katrina, a storm surge of approximately 25 feet struck the single-story, 800-bed detention center and caused severe destruction to the facility’s primarily steel structure, masonry enclosure walls, interior finish and mechanical and electrical systems. These damages rendered the building 98 percent destroyed, making it eligible for replacement funding under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program.
“The rebuilding of our Detention Center, which was completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, is the result of excellent cooperation through FEMA, the state and the Sheriff's Office,” said Plaquemines Parish Sheriff Jiff Hingle. “This facility will not only provide an economic stimulus for our Parish, along with additional job opportunities for our citizens, but allow us to provide education and rehabilitation services for those incarcerated.”
Based on the Sheriff Office’s proposed design, the new detention center will be built back on the same 70-acre lot as before the storm and with the same inmate holding capacity, but it will be constructed at an elevation of 18-feet above the ground. Functional spaces at the new detention center will include a public lobby for visitors; administration and intake offices; medical, inmate and facility service areas; and an exercise area for inmates.
“Restoring basic infrastructure at an elevated level shows that Plaquemines Parish officials are building back their communities safer, smarter and stronger,” said Paul Rainwater, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority.
To date, including the recent $56.6 million check, FEMA has provided a total of $74.9 million for the demolition and removal of the pre-Katrina Plaquemines Sheriff’s Detention Center and its reconstruction.
When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are transferred to a federal Smartlink account. Once the funds have reached this account, the applicant can request reimbursement from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) for eligible work completed. Obligated funds may change over time as the project worksheet is a living grant that is often adjusted as bids come in and scope of work is aligned.
The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.
Created in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in 2005, the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) is the coordinating and planning body leading the most extensive rebuilding effort in American history. The central point for hurricane recovery in Louisiana, the LRA works closely with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and partners with state and federal agencies to oversee more than $20 billion worth of programs, speed the pace of rebuilding, remove hurdles and red tape and ensure that Louisiana recovers safer and stronger than before.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 28-Oct-2009 08:54:20