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 $14,192,069.68 to Iowa through the Public Assistance Grant program as the state continues its recovery from severe flooding in 2008.
“Cedar Rapids continues to show resiliency, but resources are still needed to help the community get back on its feet after the devastating flooding,” Grassley said. “These funds will help reimburse some of the repair costs for damages incurred in 2008.”
FEMA obligates the funding for the projects listed below to the state of Iowa. It’s the state’s responsibility to use these funds to reimburse eligible sub-grantees after a review process and upon receipt of appropriate documentation. The eligible sub-grantees are:
• Cedar Rapids Community School District’s Nutritional Warehouse and Purchasing Warehouse in Cedar Rapids, $1,303,147.18 to reimburse for costs to repair the flood-damaged warehouses to their pre-disaster condition.
• Central Fire Station in Cedar Rapids, $5,935,364.10 to reimburse for costs to repair or replace the flood-damaged fire station to its pre-disaster condition and function.
• Main Library Building in Cedar Rapids, $6,953,558.40 to reimburse for costs to replace the flood-damaged facility.
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.