More than $1 billion in federal FEMA funding is now available to Georgia communities and healthcare facilities, including $350 million for recovery efforts tied to Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Friday.
The money is being made available through FEMA's Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation grant programs, she said.
Karen Evans, the senior official performing the duties of FEMA administrator, said that the investment will "repair and restore critical public infrastructure across Georgia, including schools, public safety facilities, utilities, and community services."
Georgia communities, she added, are "rebuilding stronger, and today's approvals show this administration's commitment to streamlining assistance and ensuring accountability."
Notable funding includes $671 million for emergency protective measures at Georgia healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, including hiring nurses and clinical care staff, sanitization efforts, personal protective equipment, and testing supplies.
It will also include $350 million for more than 140 recovery projects tied to Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby, including:
– $140 million for debris removal across more than 20 local jurisdictions.
– $179 million for emergency protective measures by local governments, electric cooperatives, and universities.
– $17 million to repair roads, bridges, and culverts across more than 20 municipalities.
– $6.3 million to repair public buildings and facilities in nearly 30 communities.
– $2.6 million to two cities and four electric cooperatives for repairs to public utilities, including utility poles, transformers, and electrical lines.
– $1.8 million in Hazard Mitigation projects, including:
– $1.2 million to reduce repetitive flood risk in the city of Richmond Hill.
– $229,000 to provide generators statewide.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration moves to overhaul FEMA following scrutiny the agency faced before President Donald Trump took office.
White House officials on Thursday rescheduled what had been expected to be a key meeting on FEMA's future, leaving questions about the direction and timing of the agency's restructuring.
Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 26, 2024, as a Category 4 storm with winds reaching 140 mph.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimated the storm caused about $79 billion in total damage, placing it among the costliest U.S. storms on record.
About 250 people were killed, making Helene the deadliest U.S. storm since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
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