SAN JUAN – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded $28.8 million in additional funds to Puerto Rico to cover costs related to Hurricane María.
These awards bring the amount of funds obligated under FEMA’s Public Assistance program to $5.3 billion, the agency said today.
The latest grants approved are as follows:
- Nearly $16 million to the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority for generator usage and emergency protective measures.
- Nearly $7 million to the Public Buildings Authority for emergency protective measures.
- $2.5 million to the Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration for emergency protective measures.
- $2.6 million to the Puerto Rico Department of Education for emergency protective measures.
- More than $1 million to the Municipality of Cataño for debris removal.
Emergency protective measures are actions taken to eliminate or lessen immediate threats either to lives, public health or safety, or significant additional damage to public or private property in a cost-effective manner.
FEMA works with Puerto Rico’s Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency, or COR3, through the agency’s Public Assistance program to obligate recovery funds to private nonprofit organizations, municipalities and agencies of the Government of Puerto Rico for expenses related to hurricanes Irma and María.
Assistance is available for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures and the repair, replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged facilities. The Public Assistance program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.
FEMA obligates funding to the applicant for projects through COR3. For applicants to receive the awarded funds, they must provide required documentation to ensure conformity with local and federal requirements.
FEMA and COR3 continue to work together to expedite recovery funding and reimbursement of all eligible costs.
For more information on the Hurricane María recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4339.