WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley said today that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has awarded funds totaling $8,745,715.90 to Iowa as the state continues to recover from 2008 flooding.
"Iowans have continued demonstrating their resiliency in the wake of the devastating floods and severe storms last year, but vital resources are a continued need as we strive to get Iowa back on its feet," Grassley said. "These funds will help Cedar Rapids and Johnson County pay for some of the costs of repairs and expenses incurred during the 2008 floods."
FEMA obligates the funding for the projects below to the state of Iowa. It's the state's responsibility to use these funds to reimburse eligible sub-grantees after the review process and upon receipt of appropriate documentation. The eligible sub-grantees are shown below.
· Cedar Rapids will receive $7,438,879 through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to acquire/demolish 103 structures that have been substantially damaged and acquire 14 adjacent vacant lots. The funding should cover 75 percent of the total project cost.
· Johnson County Board of Supervisors will receive $1,306,836.90 through FEMA's Public Assistance program to reimburse funds used for the construction to replace the east section of the Sutliff Bridge to its pre-flood condition and repair the east and west approaches. The funding should cover 90 percent of the total project cost.
According to FEMA, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funds to reduce the loss of life and property, lessen the impact to local communities due to natural disasters, and enable recovery after a disaster.
According to FEMA, the Public Assistance Grant program provides assistance to State, Tribal and local governments, and certain types of Private Nonprofit organizations so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the President.
Thanks, in part, to the efforts of the Iowa congressional delegation, FEMA pays for 90 percent of the costs associated with the Public Assistance project shown above. The delegation sent several letters requesting the federal government take another look at the disaster level to ensure Iowa communities got the assistance they were entitled.