TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — FEMA has approved a $2,498,434 cost-share adjustment to Panama City’s grant for the costs of debris removal following Hurricane Michael under the FEMA Public Assistance Program.
Panama City previously was awarded $7,495,304 for debris removal. On March 9, President Trump expanded the federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures to 100 percent for the first 45 days from Hurricane Michael’s landfall.
Prior to approval of 100 percent cost share, Panama City and other Public Assistance projects were initially funded at the original 75-percent federal cost share rate to avoid any delays. Other projects are being adjusted to provide the remaining 25 percent of eligible costs to the applicants.
FEMA’s Public Assistance grant program is an essential source of funding for communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. The Florida Division of Emergency Management works with FEMA during all phases of the program and conducts final reviews of FEMA-approved projects.
Applicants work directly with FEMA to develop project worksheets and scopes of work. Following approvals by FEMA and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, FEMA obligates funding for the project.
Once a project is obligated by FEMA, DEM works closely with the applicant to finalize the grant and begin making payments. DEM has implemented new procedures designed to ensure grant funding is provided to local communities as quickly as possible.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants to state, tribal, and local governments, and certain types of private non-profit organizations including houses of worship, so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.
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FEMA’s mission: Helping people before, during, and after disasters.
For a list of resources available to individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Michael, visit www.floridadisaster.org/info.
For more Hurricane Michael recovery information, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4399.
Follow FEMA and the Florida Division of Emergency Management on Twitter at @FEMARegion4 and @FLSERT. You may also visit FEMA and the Division’s Facebook pages at Facebook.com/FEMA and Facebook.com/FloridaSERT.
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.