Public Assistance: By the Numbers

NEW YORK CITY — Since Hurricane Sandy struck New York, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved nearly $721 million in Public Assistance grants to reimburse state, tribal, local governments and eligible private nonprofits for some of the costs of emergency response, debris removal and repairing or rebuilding damaged public facilities. More than 268 grants have been approved so far. Here are some of the recent reimbursements:

Emergency work expenses

• $7 million to the New York Department of Environmental Protection for reconstruction of environmentally associated facilities  such as Water Waste Treatment Plants
• $5.9 million to the New York City Department of Housing and Preservation Development for demolition of residential structures that were in imminent danger of collapse
• $634,924 to the Office of the Mayor of New York for an ongoing effort by the Mayor’s office to provide communication for disaster victims regarding food, housing assistance, emergency shelter locations and the housing rapid repairs program
• $152,644 to the Seaford Union Free School District for providing school transportation for students

Permanent work expenses

• $2.8 million to the East Rockaway Union Free School District for repairs to the Junior and Senior High School
• $37,234 to the Village of Atlantic Beach for the replacement of wooden walkways and fences that were damaged

Debris removal

• $6.8 million to the Town of Huntington
• $4 million to the Town of Babylon
• $345,402 to the Old Westbury Gardens to clean up more than 200 fallen trees which created 19,500 cubic yards of debris throughout the 250 acres of the historical Old Westbury Gardens

FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses state, tribal, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations 75 percent of eligible costs of emergency and permanent work. The remaining 25 percent is provided by non-federal funds. The state forwards the federal funds to the eligible local governments or organizations that incurred costs.

To learn more about FEMA Public Assistance in New York, visit: fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and dhses.ny.gov/oem/recovery/.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4085, twitter.com/FEMASandy, facebook.com/FEMASandy and fema.gov/blog.