Press Office: 202-646-3272 U.S. Department of Homeland Security 500 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20472 2009 Louisiana Katrina/Rita Recovery 2009 Accomplishments in Louisiana* Public Assistance w Two joint teams established to resolve disputed Public Assistance Projects w 73 disputed projects resolved w $895 million in total Public Assistance funding in these sectors: w Education: $404 million w Public Works: $130.2 million w Public Safety & Protection: $49.7 million w Health Care: $54.5 million w Public Infrastructure: $217 million w Debris Removal/Emergency Protective Measures: $40.2 million Mitigation w $9.5 Million of a total of $23 Million granted to elevate and retrofit homes for 48 families in Orleans Parish. w $1.2 Million granted for a floodwall to reduce the risk of flooding for Dozier Elementary School w More than $2 Million for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry to harden and retrofit buildings in Baton Rouge and Hammond Individual Assistance w 3,260 of households transitioned to permanent housing w In June, FEMA announced very-low-cost mobile homes and park models through its Sales-to-Occupants program, ensuring that many more occupants would qualify to purchase their homes. * January 20, 2009 – August 7, 2009 “The Town of Grand Isle has been working closely with FEMA, and throughout our determination we have acquired a good working relationship. FEMA sees our needs firsthand and does the best to see that our goals are accomplished. Our progress is moving along thanks to the dedication, persistence and hard work that our elected officials and FEMA have done.” Grand Isle Mayor David Camardelle Public Assistance and Mitigation Grant Funding for Major Projects FEMA and DHS announced the following funding in 2009 January w $3.7 million: St. Bernard Grand Ballroom w $3 million for 20 reconstructions: City of Slidell Reconstruction grant w $1.1 million: Slidell sewer system cleaning February w $3.8 million: Louisiana State University Modular Dental Clinic w $46.5 million: Plaquemines Parish Pump Stations March w $9.5 million: Orleans Parish elevations of 48 homes w $1.3 million: Xavier University hazard mitigation funding April w $13.1 million: Recovery School District building w $8 million: Holy Cross Schools w $3.5 million: SUNO mold remediation w $2.7 million: Lakefront Airport Terminal Building repairs w $15 million: Canal Street complex repair and mitigation efforts w $2.2 million: Orleans Parish installation of 5,000 water meters w $1.2 million: Celebration Christian School and Daycare replacement of contents w $1.4 million: City of New Orleans Emergency Operations Center communication network w $7.8 million: South Cameron High School and Elementary School replacement/consolidation w $1.7 million: Louisiana Facility Planning and Control w $1.1 million: Carrollton Water Treatment Plant w $2.2 million: North and South Florissant Drainage Pump Stations w $3.4 million: St. Bernard construction and demolition debris removal w $4 million: Plaquemines Parish canals debris & sediment removal May w $2 million: Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry mitigation funding w $1 million: City of New Orleans Sewerage Pump Stations elevation grant w $147.8 million: Recovery School District-4 quick start schools consolidation grant w $1 million: St. Bernard fire hydrants June w $10.8 million: Louisiana State University Clinical Education Building w $1.2 million: Dozier Elementary floodwall July w $1.6 million: Robert E. Smith Library replacement w $13.8 million: St. Bernard Parish roadways w $32.9 million: Tulane University additional funding w $1.1 million: Calcasieu Parish acquisition of 5 properties w $7.2 million: Jefferson Parish elevation of 40 homes August w $32 million: Southern University of New Orleans for replacement of the New Science, Old Science, Multipurpose and Clark Education buildings “Our commitment to the Gulf Coast remains unwavering and our determination to bring to completion many of the projects is still underway. My goal is to eliminate the red tape, help rebuild now and rebuild the region stronger than ever.” DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano Since the beginning of the Obama administration, significant progress has been made toward the continuing recovery efforts in Louisiana following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Within these seven months more than $895 million has been funded toward the continued repair and rebuilding efforts of 816 projects in Louisiana communities, due in large part to the two innovative, joint public assistance teams established by Secretary Napolitano following her visit to the Gulf Coast in March 2009. Additionally, more than 89,000 Louisiana households displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita have found long-term housing solutions. Public Assistance Committed to strengthening and accelerating rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast communities recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, FEMA has taken decisive action to improve recovery and assist individuals still affected by these disasters. More than $895 million in Public Assistance funding has been awarded to the State of Louisiana for important Hurricanes Katrina and Rita recovery projects. These funds will help Louisiana students get back into their schools and provide citizens better access to important services such as protection through police and fire stations, improvements to sewer and water systems and access to public infrastructure such as playgrounds and recreational facilities. Joint Public Assistance Teams Established in 2009 In coordination with the State of Louisiana, FEMA established two joint public assistance teams to aid in the resolution of disputed projects—the Joint Expediting Team and the Unified Public Assistance Project Decision Team (Decision Team), both announced on March 5, 2009. Joint Expediting Team The Joint Expediting Team, comprised of technical and policy experts from FEMA’s Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office and the State of Louisiana, was established to execute quick and fair resolutions to disputes under the Public Assistance program. Since March 2009, the Joint Expediting Team has resolved 29 projects in dispute. Some examples of projects resolved include approvals for replacement of New Orleans Fire Department Stations #3 and #36, New Orleans Police Department Sub-Stations #5 and #7, the Katherine Benson and Mandeville Dietege Clinics and the Robert E. Smith Library totaling more than $11 million. Unified Public Assistance Project Decision Team FEMA and the State of Louisiana jointly established the Decision Team to make final eligibility determination for disputed Public Assistance projects. Decision Team representatives review stalled projects, work through the issues that relate to these projects, and make final determinations in order to move the project through the system. Since March 2009, the Decision Team has resolved 44 cases that were previously in dispute. Examples of cases determined eligible by the Decision Team include the Louisiana State University Health Science Center for the Student Residence Hall; the School of Nursing and Allied Health; and the Library, Administration, and Resource Center for mitigation projects totaling more than $3 million in Public Assistance funds. “The recovery of the public school system in Orleans Parish is an ongoing process and involves not only the Recovery School District and FEMA, but the cooperation of the LRA, the Louisiana Department of Education and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. FEMA is proud to have such steadfast partners to turn a visionary idea and an innovative funding solution into a reality for thousands of school children.” FEMA Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office Acting Director Tony Russell Public Assistance Sector Highlights Education: More than $400 million has been obligated to the state of Louisiana for K-12 public schools and universities affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These funds will help approximately 35 K-12 and 5 higher education facilities return to their pre-Katrina conditions. For instance, $22.2 million was awarded to the Recovery School District for repairs or replacements to various facilities such as Little Woods Elementary School’s main building and Lake Area Middle School’s gym. Public Works: Approximately $130.2 million in funding has been given to communities for the repair or replacement of sewage collection systems and treatment plants and lift stations. Public Safety & Protection: $49.7 million has been obligated for public safety projects, including more than $1.0 million for the repair or replacement of more than 500 fire hydrants throughout St. Bernard Parish and more than $1 million for the repair or replacement of prisons, jails and detention centers in the greater New Orleans area. Health Care: $54.5 million has been obligated for health care projects. $3.6 million was obligated to the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center to reimburse for contents, equipment, fire alarm systems, and mold remediation for damaged facilities, including the Lions Eye Clinic, School of Dentistry Clinic, and Medical School. Public Infrastructure: $217 million obligated for public infrastructure projects, state management costs that enable the state to administer and manage the public assistance grants for projects such as the rebuilding of Robert E. Smith Library on Canal Boulevard and the restoration of roadways in New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish and emergency protective measures. Debris Removal/Emergency Protective Measures: $40.2 million has been obligated for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including waterways debris pick up in 23 southern parishes of Louisiana. Special Community Disaster Loan Forgiveness In March 2009, Secretary Napolitano announced that FEMA proposed an amendment to its Special Community Disaster Loan (CDL) regulations to include loan forgiveness procedures and requirements for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Proposed regulations stated that local governments that received Special CDLs from FEMA following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will be eligible to apply for forgiveness of all or part of those loans if the local government revenues following the disasters were insufficient to meet operating budget requirements for that local government. The comment period for the proposed rule closed June 2, 2009. Once comments have been adjudicated, FEMA will issue a final regulation establishing the loan forgiveness procedures. Once the final rule goes into effect, FEMA will begin to accept loan forgiveness applications. V-Zones After careful evaluation and working with congressional, state and local partners, FEMA amended its guidance for construction of public works within Coastal High Hazard Areas (V-Zones). The amended guidance allows new construction projects that have begun or completed construction to remain or continue, with funding, so long as the applicant agrees to waive the right to apply for a new replacement project outside the V-Zone. The new guidance also provides for a re-evaluation of projects that have not commenced construction or physical site development. The LATRO completed its evaluation of those projects and all were identified as repair projects. Making Progress FEMA Public Assistance grant funding is making it possible for the State of Louisiana to rebuild schools, police stations and other critical infrastructure. Click on the arrow to learn more about FEMA rebuilding grants in the State of Louisiana, summarized by parish and categorized by sector. http://www.femarecovery.gov/gcromaps/ “We’re very appreciative of FEMA for their support. We’ll continue to work with them on other issues as we go forward.” Lawrence Van Hoose Ochsner Health System Federal Coordination FEMA continues to coordinate with our federal partners in the recovery efforts. For instance, FEMA works with the SBA to provide workshops for small businesses to understand how to contract with the federal government. Click on the arrow to learn how FEMA and the SBA are making a difference in Louisiana. http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/641 To see these and more videos showing progress for Katrina survivors in the last four years, visit FEMA’s multimedia site at: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/collections/1 Arbitration Panel On Aug. 6, Secretary Napolitano announced a new arbitration process to expedite resolution of outstanding public assistance projects stemming from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  The new arbitration system is designed to further recovery efforts by providing final adjudication of disputes arising from public assistance projects by an independent, neutral panel of arbitrators. Pursuant to this new process, a panel of arbitrators will be available to review certain disputes involving Public Assistance projects in excess of $500,000 arising from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Multiple, third-party, neutral arbitration panels will be established as required to meet the caseload demand. Each panel will consist of three judges, independent of DHS. The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals will provide the primary pool of judges. The designated arbitration panel will consider all written statements and supporting documentation from the applicant, the state, and the FEMA regional administrator. Mitigation Through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program FEMA has actively helped Louisiana prepare for potential future disasters. 2009 accomplishments include: * To date, through its Public Assistance program, FEMA has funded more than $3.2 million in reconstruction grants for Dozier Elementary. Included in this funding is the agency's recent grant of $1.2 million to construct a concrete floodwall around the school, reducing the risk of flooding from future events and complying with National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements. * Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF) supports the federal response after a disaster—it is vital that its buildings are able to withstand strong hurricane winds to allow responders to bring emergency assistance without interruptions. More than $2 million in FEMA Hazard Mitigation funding is being provided to harden and retrofit LDAF buildings in Baton Rouge and Hammond. * FEMA has released $9.5 million of a $23 million Hazard Mitigation Grant Program project to cover the costs of elevating structures to the Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) level or Base Flood Elevation (BFE) level, whichever is higher. These residential properties will also be retrofitted against high wind hazards to protect them from future storms. * With the completion of digital flood insurance rate maps to the coastal parishes at the end of 2008, FEMA has been holding open houses and technical workshops, and attending city council meetings in 2009 to educate and inform residents on the importance of the new maps. Individual Assistance In response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, FEMA has assisted 1,498,722 disaster survivors with some form of housing assistance totaling over $5.2 billion. FEMA conducted the largest temporary housing operation in the history of the country providing temporary housing units (THUs) to 143,123 households throughout the Gulf Coast. Since January 20, 2009, more than 3,260 households in Louisiana have moved out of FEMA temporary housing and into more suitable, longer-term, functional housing resulting in 99% of those originally housed, returning to permanent housing. On February 12, 2009, Secretary Napolitano announced that FEMA’s temporary housing program would be extended for an additional 60 days, where needed, until May 1, 2009 to provide additional time to help disaster survivors get back on their feet. On May 1, 2009, there were roughly 3,200 Louisiana households remaining in temporary housing units. With the close of the FEMA temporary housing program, the Administration understood that this was a difficult time for families affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita who were still working to transition from temporary housing to more permanent housing solutions. On June 5, 2009, FEMA and HUD worked with other parts of the federal government, along with state and local partners, to identify and implement new strategies and initiatives to ease the transition for the remaining families. As of August 7, 2009, there were 1,768 Louisiana households still residing in temporary housing units as result of Katrina and Rita. 826 are pending the purchase of their unit or will potentially receive a donated unit. A Katrina Recovery Success Story See how FEMA’s Public Assistance funding is helping Jackson Barracks rebuild. Watch now. http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/202 “Like most of southeast Louisiana, Hurricane Katrina totally damaged and devastated this post – we had close to 200 structures that were damaged or destroyed. Jackson Barracks – we’re going to come back. I think we are a good news story for the rest of the country. We probably have one of every FEMA public assistance project example taking place here.” Major General Hunt Downer Louisiana National Guard, Jackson Barracks Louisiana Speaks “The leadership within FEMA and our national government has begun to understand that there must be some flexibility in the application of the rules and regulations. FEMA resources have come in to help us restock our classrooms, our maintenance department, our school buses, and every aspect of our operation.” Superintendent Doris Votier St. Bernard Parish Schools “Quality of life in Jefferson Parish has always been an important factor to our citizens. As we recover from the major storms of 2005, FEMA has played an integral role by restoring playgrounds and fire stations, which contribute directly to the quality of life our residents expect.” Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard “Having the university come back as quickly as it did from Hurricane Katrina allowed both students and employees to return to some sense of normalcy, and we applaud their efforts. Tony Russell and his team at FEMA have done a good job working through complicated rebuilding issues to support Tulane’s recovery, which has been important for New Orleans.” Executive Director Paul Rainwater Louisiana Recovery Authority