photo by Andrew Dobson
Flood of 2019
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Wednesday that $1,347,216 in federal funding has been made available to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to launch the Public Assistance Program.
This grant funding is part of FEMA’s recovery efforts in response to the federal disaster declaration on Sept. 19. This funding will assist the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and local governments with costs incurred during the administration of the Public Assistance Program and its associated projects. The Public Assistance Program will provide funding for disaster recovery from the severe storms and flooding that occurred between Feb. 24 and July 3.
“FEMA’s Public Assistance Program is an important resource for communities after a disaster,” Federal Coordinating Officer Steven W. Johnson said. “By funding these management costs, the state of Illinois is able to ensure a more seamless federal grant process to allow for a faster recovery in these areas hard-hit by severe storms and flooding.”
“This federal funding will allow the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to initiate the Public Assistance program and allow the agency to continue to support our local units of government following one of the worst floods to plague our state,” Acting IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau said. “It will take time for some communities to fully recover, but federal funding will go a long way to help our communities rebuild. As state and local officials embark on this journey, IEMA will work with communities to rebuild public infrastructure smarter, stronger and more resilient in order to minimize the damage of future floods.”
FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides funding to local government jurisdictions and eligible private nonprofits for the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged infrastructure as well as costs incurred for debris removal, disaster cleanup and emergency actions taken to protect lives or property.