$3.1 billion in FEMA project funds disbursed
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Louisiana has doled out to hurricane-affected local governments more than half of the $6 billion-plus that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has obligated for public assistance projects, officials announced Thursday.
The nearly $3.1 billion disbursed to date for emergency response, debris removal and permanent rebuilding was hailed by state and federal officials.
“Meeting this milestone marks a significant step in Louisiana’s recovery and once again shows just how far we’ve come in the last 2‰ years,’’ Louisiana Recovery Authority executive director Paul Rainwater said. “While much has been done, billions of dollars worth of rebuilding remains to be completed.’’
Mark Riley, deputy director of disaster recovery at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, called surpassing the $3 billion disbursement mark a “great accomplishment’’ for the state.
“More than $3 billion in state payouts in 28 months only shows the progress from collaborated efforts at the state, local and federal levels in this recovery,’’ he said.
Jim Stark, acting associate deputy administrator for FEMA’s Gulf Coast Recovery Office, said the $3 billion milestone is indeed a “testament to the close cooperation’’ among FEMA, the state and the local governments who have applied for public assistance funding.
“Now, with the state’s innovative new Express Pay System, even more money will make it into the hands of local governments and private nonprofits to help spur along the recovery process,’’ he said.
That new system allows applicants to submit a reimbursement request with the required documentation and receive payment within 10 to 14 business days. Previously, the payment process averaged between 45 and 60 days. In the first 36 hours of the launching of the new system last week, more than $40 million was paid to local applicants.
“We have already witnessed an increase in the speed of payments to local governments for rebuilding projects’’ under the new system, Rainwater said. “We must continue to act with a sense of urgency to speed the pace of recovery.’’
In the last year, payments for long-term bricks and mortar reconstruction have begun to accelerate as applicants complete post-storm recovery and move into rebuilding work, state officials said.
In the heavily damaged parishes of Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Tammany and Jefferson in southeast Louisiana, payments have more than doubled for long-term permanent rebuilding work such as repairs to roads, schools and public buildings. Devastated Cameron Parish in southwest Louisiana has seen a threefold increase in such payments.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program works with state and local governments and certain private nonprofit groups to fund recovery measures such as the rebuilding of buildings, roads, bridges, and water and sewer plants.
Orleans has received more than $747 million in public assistance funds for recovery and rebuilding since the 2005 hurricanes, followed by St. Bernard with more than $480 million, St. Tammany with more than $252 million, Jefferson with more than $173 million, and Plaquemines with more than $100 million. Cameron has received more than $43 million.
The nearly $3.1 billion disbursed to date for emergency response, debris removal and permanent rebuilding was hailed by state and federal officials.
“Meeting this milestone marks a significant step in Louisiana’s recovery and once again shows just how far we’ve come in the last 2‰ years,’’ Louisiana Recovery Authority executive director Paul Rainwater said. “While much has been done, billions of dollars worth of rebuilding remains to be completed.’’
Mark Riley, deputy director of disaster recovery at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, called surpassing the $3 billion disbursement mark a “great accomplishment’’ for the state.
“More than $3 billion in state payouts in 28 months only shows the progress from collaborated efforts at the state, local and federal levels in this recovery,’’ he said.
Jim Stark, acting associate deputy administrator for FEMA’s Gulf Coast Recovery Office, said the $3 billion milestone is indeed a “testament to the close cooperation’’ among FEMA, the state and the local governments who have applied for public assistance funding.
“Now, with the state’s innovative new Express Pay System, even more money will make it into the hands of local governments and private nonprofits to help spur along the recovery process,’’ he said.
That new system allows applicants to submit a reimbursement request with the required documentation and receive payment within 10 to 14 business days. Previously, the payment process averaged between 45 and 60 days. In the first 36 hours of the launching of the new system last week, more than $40 million was paid to local applicants.
“We have already witnessed an increase in the speed of payments to local governments for rebuilding projects’’ under the new system, Rainwater said. “We must continue to act with a sense of urgency to speed the pace of recovery.’’
In the last year, payments for long-term bricks and mortar reconstruction have begun to accelerate as applicants complete post-storm recovery and move into rebuilding work, state officials said.
In the heavily damaged parishes of Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Tammany and Jefferson in southeast Louisiana, payments have more than doubled for long-term permanent rebuilding work such as repairs to roads, schools and public buildings. Devastated Cameron Parish in southwest Louisiana has seen a threefold increase in such payments.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program works with state and local governments and certain private nonprofit groups to fund recovery measures such as the rebuilding of buildings, roads, bridges, and water and sewer plants.
Orleans has received more than $747 million in public assistance funds for recovery and rebuilding since the 2005 hurricanes, followed by St. Bernard with more than $480 million, St. Tammany with more than $252 million, Jefferson with more than $173 million, and Plaquemines with more than $100 million. Cameron has received more than $43 million.
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