FEMA sending $56 million to Puerto Rico in Hurricane Maria relief
FEMA has awarded nearly $56 million in grants to cover Hurricane María-related expenses. The funds cover costs for emergency protective measures and 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.
The grants approved are allocated as follows:
- More than $39 million to Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority
- Nearly $5.7 million to the Mennonite General Hospital
- More than $5 million to Carolina
- More than $2 million to Loíza
- Nearly $2 million to Cataño
- Nearly $2 million to Las Piedras
To date, the FEMA Public Assistance program has obligated nearly $3.8 billion in total funding to private nonprofit organizations, municipalities and agencies of the Government of Puerto Rico for expenses related to hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Hurricane Maria photo/NOAA
FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants to presidentially declared municipalities, eligible government agencies and certain private non-profit organizations. This assistance is granted for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures and the repair, replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged facilities. The program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.
The Public Assistance Program is funded by FEMA and administered by the Governor’s Authorized Representative Office of Puerto Rico. FEMA obligates funding for claimed projects to the applicant through the Governor’s Authorized Representative’s Office. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure that the eligible agencies, municipalities and nonprofits receive these awards as reimbursements after providing appropriate documentation.
