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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials announced today the approval of $555,219.60 to the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) under its Public Assistance (PA) funds. The grant funds cover damages to infrastructure as a result of the rain and flooding caused by Hurricane Earl in the Territory on August 29-31, 2010.
"Thanks to a joint effort and collaboration with the territory government, federal funds have been obligated to 14 territorial agencies, for infrastructure projects to rebuild and restore damaged public facilities,” said FEMA’s Caribbean Area Division Director Alejandro De La Campa.
As of today, the following agencies have been approved federal funds for infrastructure related projects:
"We are moving expeditiously to refund these monies to each government department and agency so that local vendors can be paid quickly and departments can have these funds restored to their budgets where the funds have already been expended. These are tough economic times for everyone, so funneling this money back into the struggling economy is paramount" said Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management (VITEMA) Director Elton Lewis.
| V.I. HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY |
$6,592.27 |
| V.I. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |
$1,118.25 |
| OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR |
$1,320.00 |
| V.I. PUBLIC TELEVISION SYSTEM |
$3,835.20 |
| V.I. HOUSING, PARKS AND RECREATION |
$24,777.42 |
| V.I. DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE |
$1,142.06 |
| GOVERNOR JUAN F. LUIS HOSPITAL |
$38,313.65 |
| V.I. HOUSING AUTHORITY |
$1,117.50 |
| V.I. WATER AND POWER AUTHORITY |
$13,535.33 |
| UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS |
$10,085.08 |
| V.I. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS |
$335,422.50 |
| V.I. WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY |
$72,245.20 |
| MAGENS BAY AUTHORITY |
$37,097.29 |
| V.I. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION |
$5,917.85 |
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FEMA PA grants cover the reimbursement of approved costs incurred in disaster related emergency work, including protective measures, debris removal, and the repair, replacement or restoration of flood-damaged public facilities, such as roads and bridges, buildings, parks, water control facilities and utilities.
The PA grant may also include funds to implement hazard mitigation measures, such as site-specific retrofitting, to protect the facilities from future damages, if the applicant can demonstrate a favorable cost-benefit ratio.
This is the initial funding approved; FEMA continues evaluating other projects submitted by territorial agencies.
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