GUAYNABO, PUERTO RICO – FEMA recently awarded more than $194 million in additional Public Assistance grants for Hurricane María recovery in Puerto Rico.
To date, the FEMA Public Assistance program has obligated $2.2 billion in total funding to the government of Puerto Rico and municipalities for debris removal and emergency protective measures.
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 following grants were recently approved:
For debris removal:
More than $168 million to the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works.
More than $5 million to the Municipality of Añasco.
Nearly $2 million to the Municipality of San Sebastián.
More than $3.1 million to the Municipality of Vega Alta.
More than $8.7 million to the Municipality of Bayamon for emergency protective measures.
Nearly $3 million to the Puerto Rico Department of Health for emergency protective measures.
More than $2.3 million to the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority for emergency protective measures to purchase and install six floating pumps to supplement water flow at the Guajataca Dam.
More than $2.3 million to the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources for emergency protective measures for generator use at flood-control pump stations.
The Public Assistance program provides grants to eligible government organizations and certain private non-profit organizations 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 program is funded by FEMA and administered by the government of Puerto Rico.
For more information on Hurricane María recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4339.