FEMA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FUNDING TOPS $4 BILLION FOR PUERTO RICO
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20250602/fema-public-assistance-funding-tops-4-billion-puerto-rico]


Release Date: 
November 1, 2018 

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico – FEMA has awarded $208.5 million to the
Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority and $22.6 million in grants
to the University of Puerto Rico to cover Hurricane María-related
expenses. These awards bring the total amount of funds obligated under
the agency’s Public Assistance program to $4 billion.

 

About $180 million has been granted to the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and
Sewer Authority for the architectural and engineering costs of more
than 5,000 facilities throughout the island. Another $28.5 million
covers administrative costs and emergency protective measures.

 

The remaining grants approved are as follows:

 

For emergency protective measures

	* More than $7.7 million to the University of Puerto Rico’s Rio
Piedras campus
	* More than $6.7 million to the University of Puerto Rico’s
Mayagüez campus
	* More than $6.9 million to the University of Puerto Rico’s Medical
Sciences campus
	* More than $1.2 million to the University of Puerto Rico’s Cayey
campus

For administrative costs

	* More than $2.7 million to the Puerto Rico National Guard
	* More than $1.5 million to the Puerto Rico Police Department

For debris removal

	* More than $1.4 million to the Inter American University of Puerto
Rico

For temporary relocation of the main office

	* More than $1.3 million to the Puerto Rico Department of Justice

Emergency protective measures are actions taken to eliminate or lessen
immediate threats either to lives, public health or safety, or
significant additional damage to public or private property in a
cost-effective manner.

 

FEMA’s Public Assistance program obligates funds to private
nonprofit organizations, municipalities and agencies of the Government
of Puerto Rico for expenses related to hurricanes Irma and María.

 

The program provides grants to presidentially declared municipalities,
eligible government agencies and certain private nonprofit
organizations. This assistance is granted for debris removal,
life-saving emergency protective measures and the repair, replacement
or restoration of disaster-damaged facilities. The Public Assistance
program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from
future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures
during the recovery process.

 

FEMA obligates funding for claimed projects to the applicant through
Puerto Rico’s Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and
Resiliency. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure that the
eligible agencies, municipalities and nonprofits receive these awards
as reimbursements after they provide appropriate documentation.

 

For more information on the Hurricane María recovery, visit
fema.gov/disaster/4339 [https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4339].

###

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race,
color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English
proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been
discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362)
711/VRS - Video Relay Service). Multilingual operators are available.
(Press 2 for Spanish). TTY call 800-462-7585.

 

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