FEMA Awards $3.5 Million Grant to Eugene Water & Electric Board for Storm Recovery

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May 24, 2017

SALEM, Ore. – Eugene Water & Electric Board will receive a $3.5 million federal grant to help recover from Severe Winter Storm and Flooding during the period of December 14-17, 2016 the Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Wednesday.

The FEMA award provides $3,510,829.31 to Eugene Water & Electric Board for the restoring the loss of power to 22,000 customers during the incident period and to repair or replace damaged wire, electrical poles, cross arms, and transformers. The FEMA grant covers the 75 percent federal share of Eugene Water and Electric Board’s total $4,681,105.74 cost for the entire project.

“The December ice storm was devastating for EWEB and our customers in many ways. From a financial perspective, this was the largest restoration effort in EWEB’s 106-year history,” said Susan Fahey, EWEB’s chief financial officer.  “The FEMA grant will help our customer-owners, who already endured extensive and prolonged power outages, avoid further financial impacts.”

FEMA has been working with OEM since the Jan. 25, 2017, major disaster declaration resulting from Oregon’s severe winter storms of December 2016. The severe weather, which downed power poles and transmission lines, affected more than 22,000 utility customers.

“As Lane and Josephine counties continue their recovery efforts from last December’s storm, these grant funds will go a long way towards helping the City of Eugene and those served by EWEB back to normal,” said OEM Director Andrew Phelps. “This project serves as a reminder of how impactful winter storms can be across our state and the important role our federal partners play in helping communities recover from disasters.”

More information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program can be found at www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit. Information about Oregon disaster recovery is available at www.oregon.gov/OEM/emresources/disasterassist/Pages/Public-Assistance.aspx

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The Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is responsible for planning, preparing and providing for the prevention, mitigation and management of major disasters or emergencies that present a threat to the lives and property of citizens of and visitors to the State of Oregon.

 

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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