ORLANDO, Fla. – FEMA has approved $1,068,521 for the State of Florida to help the Cudjoe Regional Wastewater System—under the jurisdiction of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority and Monroe County—defray the costs of repairing facilities damaged by Hurricane Irma. Funding is provided under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program.
Following the 2017 storm, county and contract workers conducted damage inspections and completed repairs to the Cudjoe Regional Wastewater/Transmission facility. These repairs included: electrical repairs; pumping station clean-up, repair and replacement; and the installation of galvanized and anti-scale coated aluminum fencing. FEMA funds will reimburse FKAA for these disaster-related repairs.
Funding for this Public Assistance (PA) project is authorized under Sections 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act for Florida to cover Hurricane Irma-related expenses, reimbursing eligible applicants for the cost of debris removal; life-saving emergency protective measures; and the repair, replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged facilities like buildings, roads and utilities.
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 PA 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 FDEM, FEMA obligates funding for the project.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants to state, tribal, and local governments, and certain types of private non-profit organizations including some houses of worship, so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.
The federal share for Public Assistance projects is not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost. The state determines how the non-federal share of the cost of a project (up to 25 percent) is split with the sub-recipients like local and county governments.
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FEMA’s mission: Helping people before, during, and after disasters.