Additional Mississippi Counties Approved for Disaster Aid

OXFORD, Miss. – The state of Mississippi and local governments and certain private nonprofits in Coahoma, Panola and Quitman counties are now eligible to receive federal assistance to help cover expenses and repair damage associated with the tornadoes and severe weather in late December, according to state and federal officials.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency said the three counties have been added to the disaster declaration issued by President Obama on Jan. 4. That declaration authorized the Public Assistance program in Benton, Marshall and Tippah counties.

The disaster declaration makes state, county and local governments, as well as certain nonprofit organizations in the designated areas eligible to receive reimbursement through the Public Assistance program for repairing infrastructure damage caused by the storms, as well as the cost of responding to them.

Under the Public Assistance program, FEMA pays 75 percent of the cost for repairs, overtime and debris removal. Typically, the remaining 25 percent is split between state and local governments at 12.5 percent each. Eligible nonprofits are responsible for the full 25 percent. The program is administered by MEMA. Eligibility and project approval is determined by FEMA.

MEMA and FEMA are working to schedule applicant briefings with officials of eligible entities and nonprofit organizations in the designated counties. MEMA and FEMA will provide information on the application process, as well as deadlines for submission of necessary documents to receive federal reimbursement.

The applicant briefings may be followed by face-to-face meetings in local communities between FEMA, state officials and eligible applicants.

MEMA and FEMA and their local, state and federal partners are also providing assistance to individuals affected by the storms in Benton, Coahoma, Marshall, Quitman and Tippah counties.

Additional MEMA-FEMA joint damage assessments are ongoing to determine if other counties could be eligible for assistance.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.