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Additional $19 Million Obligated for Puerto Rico Hurricane Recovery Work

By on January 21, 2020

SAN JUAN – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Puerto Rico Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience, or COR3, have obligated more than $19 million in additional funds for 42 projects related to the recovery and reconstruction of Puerto Rico after hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. The funds were obligated between Jan. 10 and Jan. 16.

FEMA works with COR3 through the agency’s Public Assistance program to obligate recovery funds to private nonprofit organizations, municipalities and Puerto Rico government agencies for expenses related to recovery projects

To date, over $6.1 billion has been approved for Puerto Rico under FEMA’s Public Assistance program.

Funding for permanent work includes projects like roads, bridges, water control facilities, buildings and equipment, utilities and park and recreation facilities as authorized under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.

The latest grants obligated are as follows:

  • Nearly $5.8 million for debris removal
  • Nearly $5 million for repairs to roads and bridges
  • Over $4.4 million for emergency protective measures
  • Nearly $2.4 million forrepairs to parks and recreational facilities
  • Nearly $1.8 million for repairs to public utilities.

“FEMA and COR3 remain focused on prioritizing obligations of funds to municipalities for eligible expenses…to help communities recover,” reads a FEMA release published Tuesday.

“Many projects during this phase of the recovery are for architectural and engineering design, which may open the door to funding opportunities for larger projects in the future. These funds help to reduce the ‘damage-rebuild-damage’ cycle that comes with restoring structures to pre-disaster conditions. They assure quality by meticulously detailing scopes of work to ensure a repaired and rebuilt Puerto Rico is better positioned to withstand another storm,” FEMA wrote.

Emergency protective measures are actions “taken to eliminate or lessen immediate threats either to lives, public health or safety, or significant additional damage to public or private property in a cost-effective manner,” according to the agency.

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