PENSACOLA, Fla -- FEMA has approved two additional grants totaling $7,427,525 to reimburse Mexico Beach and Panama City for recovery efforts following Hurricane Michael in 2018.
Funding from FEMA’s Public Assistance program will provide the following additional reimbursements:
- Mexico Beach, FL: $6,251,420 for the dredging operations throughout the city marina municipal canal, including the collection and removal of 23,589 cubic yards of storm-generated dredge solids. This reimbursement brings the total of FEMA’s grants for the city’s Hurricane Michael-related expenses to $87.9 million.
- Panama City, FL: $1,176,105 to rebuild the 31,200-square-foot Old City Hall, occupied by the Juvenile Justice System, and restore it to its pre-disaster design, function and capacity. It will be rebuilt stronger and more resilient to future storms. The reimbursement increases FEMA's total grants for the city’s Hurricane Michael-related expenses to $102.3 million.
FEMA’s Public Assistance 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 reviews projects prior to FEMA final approval.
Applicants work directly with FEMA to develop projects and scopes of work. FEMA obligates funding for projects to FDEM after final approval.
Once a project is obligated, FDEM works closely with applicants to finalize grants and begin making payments. FDEM has procedures in place 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 private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.