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Secretary Napolitano Announces Additional FEMA Funding for Katrina/Rita Public Assistance Projects


WEBWIRE

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced today that $93.6 million for Louisiana public assistance projects have been funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) since her visit to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast on March 5-6. FEMA has obligated a total of $340 million for Louisiana public assistance related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita projects since January 20.

“We are quickly moving resources to Louisiana to accelerate critical restoration in the areas hit hardest by Katrina and Rita,” said Secretary Napolitano. “I have seen firsthand the continued need for support in the region, and I understand the importance of coordinating with our state and local partners to help these communities rebuild.”

The funding announced today will help repair or replace facilities in parishes across Louisiana. Since Secretary’s Napolitano’s visit to the Gulf Coast, the following public assistance projects have been funded or received additional funding:

* Replacement of Recovery School District school buildings – additional $13.1 million
* Replacement of damaged buildings at Holy Cross Schools – additional $8 million
* Mold remediation to buildings at Southern University at New Orleans – $3.5 million
* Building repairs to the Lakefront Airport Terminal Building – $2.7 million
* Repair and mitigation efforts to the Regional Transit Authority’s Canal Street complex – $15 million
* Installation of 5,000 water meters in Orleans Parish – additional $2.2 million
* Replacement of Katrina-damaged contents at Celebration Christian School and Daycare – additional $1.2 million
* Reimbursement to the City of New Orleans for costs related to the city’s Emergency Operations Center communication network – $1.4 million
* Replacement and consolidation of South Cameron High School and South Cameron Elementary School campuses – additional $7.8 million
* Project management costs to Louisiana Facility Planning and Control – $1.7 million
* Repair of the Carrollton Water Treatment Plant Raw Water Intakes in Orleans Parish – $1.1 million
* Replacement of North and South Florissant Drainage Pump Stations in St. Bernard Parish – $2.2 million
* Removal of vegetative matter and construction and demolition debris in St. Bernard Parish – additional $3.4 million
* Removal of vegetative debris, sediment and silt from Plaquemines Parish canals – additional $4 million
* In addition, 235 projects throughout Louisiana have received funding totaling $26.3 million since Secretary Napolitano’s trip to the Gulf Coast

Secretary Napolitano’s announcement reflects an ongoing commitment to expediting Gulf Coast recovery through funding, efficiency review and close coordination with state and local authorities in the region. In the period since her visit to New Orleans she has also announced the creation of the Unified Public Assistance Project Decision Team, designed to facilitate the decision-making process between FEMA and the State of Louisiana, as well as the appointment of disaster recovery veteran Janet Woodka, selected by President Obama, as Federal Coordinator of Rebuilding in the Gulf Coast Region.



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