FEMA Approves Nearly $175 Million to Help Communities Recover from Recent Disasters and Strengthen Their Resilience Against Future Disasters

Today, FEMA announced the approval of $175 million in post-disaster funding for Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects across the U.S. These programs empower states, local communities, tribes and territories to recover and rebuild more resilient, safer communities and protect infrastructure from future events. With this funding, President Donald J. Trump is keeping his promise to reform federal disaster support and ensure that taxpayer money is spent only on projects that deliver safety and security to the American people.

"FEMA is emphasizing rapid, direct and responsible delivery of federal dollars," said Robert J. Fenton, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator. "For states to take more active roles in response, recovery and preparedness, we are equipping them with the resources necessary to take the initiative. This will ensure that disaster recovery is locally driven, state managed and federally supported, just as President Donald J. Trump has promised. The funding announced today is just the latest round of federal support to empower states to prepare for and recover from disasters." 

The funding includes $157 million under FEMA's Public Assistance program awarded across 41 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Recipients will use this funding for more than 400 recovery projects related to previous disasters, including 240 COVID-19 projects for more than $91 million. In alignment with President Trump's executive order establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, FEMA conducted thorough reviews of all claimed costs for COVID-19 Public Assistance funds to prevent any fraud, waste and abuse.

The additional Public Assistance projects include repairs to critical infrastructure, restoration of public buildings, road repairs and reimbursement for costs incurred to ensure public health and safety after a disaster.

Examples of projects reimbursed through Public Assistance funding include:

• Nearly $1 million for the city of New Albany in Mississippi for debris removal after a severe winter storm.
• Nearly $1 million for the Greeneville Energy Authority in Tennessee for work to repair or replace conductors, poles and transformers that were damaged by Tropical Storm Helene.
• More than $941,500 to the Puerto Rico Department of Education to repair or replace the interior and exterior of public buildings, as well as contents that were damaged by Hurricane Fiona.
• More than $830,400 for the Adair County Memorial Hospital in Iowa to repair or replace the interior and exterior of public buildings, as well as contents that were damaged by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding.
• More than $824,000 to Abbeville County in South Carolina to repair or replace culverts that were damaged by Hurricane Helene.

In addition, FEMA is awarding more than $17 million for projects in 15 states and territories that will prevent, eliminate or reduce future disaster-related damage. This money is being distributed through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Through this program, state, local, territory governments and Tribal Nations take proactive mitigation measures such as acquiring hazard-prone homes and businesses, adopting and enforcing building codes and standards, protecting against floods through elevations and drainage improvement projects, building safe rooms and upgrading utilities and infrastructure.

Examples of projects reimbursed through Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding approved today include:

• More than $2.65 million for generators and emergency power for critical facilities such as police and fire stations, hospitals and water and sewer treatment facilities. These funds are for projects in Florida, Maine, Michigan, Northern Mariana Islands and South Carolina.
• More than $1.8 million for several elevation projects in Florida where the home is raised so potential floodwaters may flow underneath in future events. This will reduce or eliminate flood damage to these homes.
• More than $1.4 million for several acquisition, or "buy-outs, projects in Vermont. Communities will use funding to purchase and demolish flood-vulnerable homes or businesses to maintain the property in open space. This will restore the land to its natural floodplain functions and allow the property owner-typically a private homeowner-to move forward with their recovery without the burden of paying a mortgage or other fees on a damaged, unlivable property.
• More than $1.2 million in funding to Georgia to two communities to help develop mitigation planning grants. These plans will reduce risk and future damage from stormwaters.
• More than $950,000 to Indiana and Tennessee for the design and construction of saferooms adhering to FEMA standards, which provide immediate life-safety protection for people in public and private structures from severe wind events, including hurricanes, tsunamis and tornadoes.

FEMA coordinates directly with the state, tribe or territory on all hazard mitigation projects. This aligns with FEMA's principles of ensuring that disaster recovery and mitigation is state-led and federally supported.

These projects are the latest examples of billions of dollars in disaster recovery provided by FEMA to support state and local communities as they work to rebuild from recent natural disasters.

FEMA continues its renewed commitment to help communities recover from disasters like hurricanes, severe storms, tornadoes and wildfires while making them more resilient from future disasters.