The Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) has approved $18,011,929 for the state of Florida to reimburse Bay County for eligible costs of debris removal following Hurricane Michael.
Between Oct. 10, 2018 and Nov. 24, 2018 workers removed 2,349,740 cubic yards of vegetative debris and 109,437 cubic yards of construction and demolition debris.
FEMA previously approved $212.7 million for Bay County’s Hurricane Michael-related expenses, bringing the total to nearly $230.7 million.
This grant is funded by FEMA’s Public Assistance program, an essential source of funding for communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) works with FEMA during all phases of the PA program and reviews projects prior to FEMA final approval.
Applicants work directly with FEMA to develop projects and scopes of work. FEMA obligates funding for projects after final approval.
Once a project is obligated by FEMA, FDEM works closely with applicants to finalize grants and begin making payments. FDEM has implemented new procedures designed to ensure grant funding is provided to local communities as quickly as possible.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants to state, tribal and local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.
