MISSISSIPPI ENTITIES IN LINE FOR $11.3 MILLION
FOR DISASTER MITIGATION, HURRICANE KATRINA RECOVERY COSTS

Cochran: Funds to Aid Jackson Co. Shelter Construction, Gulfport Utilities Rehabilitation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced final approval for four grants worth more than $11.3 million in federal funding that will allow the city of Gulfport and Jackson County, as well as the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), to carryout emergency preparedness projects and overcome recovery costs associated with Hurricane Katrina.

Cochran, the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, said final approval of the grants was issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in consultation with congressional appropriations panels.

“The approval of these grants underscores the fact that Mississippi is still in a recovery mode almost four years after Hurricane Katrina.  I am pleased that these grants have been cleared so that these resources can be put to work in Gulfport and Jackson County,” Cochran said.

FEMA has given final approval to MEMA’s recommendation to provide more than $11.3 million to Mississippi in the form of four grants.  The awards include:

City of Gulfport – $4.81 million in Public Assistance/Public Utilities grant funding to repair or replace water, wastewater and drainage infrastructure that was damaged during and after Hurricane Katrina, specific to an area spanning 20th Avenue to West Pier, and between U.S. 90 and the Mississippi Sound.

Jackson County, Mississippi –$4.08 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) grants to construct two, 10,000-square-foot FEMA 361 Project safe room shelters in East Jackson County and West Jackson County.  Designed to withstand tornado and hurricane forces, both shelters would be able to accommodate 1,000 people in a safe room for 36 hours.  Each shelter would cost a total of $2.725 million.  A 25 percent nonfederal contribution, or $681,250 per shelter, is required with HMGP grants.

MEMA – $2.4 million in Public Assistance/Emergency Protective Measures grant funding to reimburse the MEMA for costs associated with Florida Department of Law Enforcement emergency management assistance immediately following Hurricane Katrina.

Earlier this month, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, with $7.07 billion for FEMA—including $1.39 billion for Disaster Relief.  The bill is available for consideration by the full Senate.

Links:

http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/hmgp/

http://www.msema.org/