alert - warning

This page has not been translated into Kreyòl. Visit the Kreyòl page for resources in that language.

FEMA Awards $3.3 Million for More Than 100 Acquisitions in Freeport, Ill.

alert - warning

Sorry, there were no results based on your filter selections.
Please reset the filter or change your selections and try again.

Release Date:
August 11, 2021

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $3,395,568 in Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) funds to the city of Freeport for the acquisition of 127 flood-prone parcels along the Pecatonica River, including 88 structure and 39 vacant lots.

Removing these properties from the floodplain will increase the area’s capacity for water storage and reduce damage during severe flooding events. The vacant lots will be deed restricted as open space, maintained by the city of Freeport.

“FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs enable communities to implement critical mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate the risk of loss of life and property,” said Kevin M. Sligh, acting regional administrator, FEMA Region 5. “The acquisition and demolition of these structures permanently removes them from the floodplain and greatly reduces the financial impact on individuals and the community when future flooding occurs in Freeport.”

“Flooding is one of the costliest natural disasters in the United States, and that’s why mitigation is such an important tool in protecting our communities,” said Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Over the last 20 years, IEMA has invested approximately $100 million in local jurisdictions to remove around 4,200 structures from flood-prone areas. Proper mitigation saves communities from flood-fighting and public safety expenses while helping residents avoid the heartbreak, devastation and costs associated of repetitive flood loss.”

For this project, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the $4,528,125 eligible project cost. The remaining 25 percent of the funds will be provided by the City of Freeport. The PDM grant program provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. This year marks the end of the PDM program, which will be replaced by the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. To learn more about BRIC or FEMA’s other Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs, visit www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation.

# # #

FEMA's mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.

Tags: