ATLANTA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has now obligated almost $2.5 million in Public Assistance (PA) funds to help Georgia counties repair damage and rebuild infrastructure damaged or destroyed in the severe storms of late April.
Public Assistance funds are available to eligible state agencies, municipalities and certain private non-profit organizations that provide essential services of a governmental nature.
“More funds will be obligated as the PA process continues,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech. “These are for longer term projects and repairs that help restore publicly owned infrastructure.”
The 22 counties declared for PA in categories A to G (see below) are: Bartow, Catoosa, Cherokee, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Greene, Harris, Heard, Jasper, Lamar, Lumpkin, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Pickens, Rabun, Spalding, Troup, Walker and White. Two additional counties – Coweta and Polk – are eligible for PA reimbursement under categories A and B only.
FEMA funding represents 75 percent reimbursement of the cost of approved public assistance projects. Local government pays 15 percent; Georgia pays 10 percent, and manages the PA program.
The following is a summary breakdown of the PA funding obligated to date:
Category A: Debris removal $441,000
Category B: Emergency protective measures $277,000
Category C: Road systems and bridges $21,000
Category D: Water control facilities $0
Category E: Public buildings $11,000
Category F: Public utilities $1,700,000
Category G: Parks and recreational facilities $45,000
Total: $2,495,000
“This money helps these local and county governments get back on their feet and begin putting their communities back together again,” said GEMA State Coordinator Charley English.
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.