FEMA Obligates Another Public Assistance Grant For $1 Million+ To Aid In Irene Recovery: Town Of Bethel Projects Approved

FEMA OBLIGATES ANOTHER PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GRANT FOR $1 MILLION+ TO AID IN IRENE RECOVERY:  TOWN OF BETHEL PROJECTS APPROVED

ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has obligated funding for an approved $1.2 million dollar road repair project in the Town of Bethel.  Public Assistance funding to the Town now totals $4,601,750 for Tropical Storm Irene damage. 

“This money will not only assist the Town of Bethel in its recovery but the entire State of Vermont,” said Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer Steve Ward, head of FEMA’s operations in Vermont. “FEMA is committed to working with all impacted communities and providing all the assistance that applicants are eligible to receive.” 

As of August 28, 344 Vermont municipalities and other applicants have been approved for Public Assistance funding. FEMA has obligated, or paid to the state, over $125.5 million in PA grants to aid in recovery money to reimburse the state and municipalities for repairs to damaged or destroyed infrastructure like roads and bridges and rescue operations.

There are 74 eligible projects in the town of Bethel. The largest project repairs Gilead Brook Road, a Class Three Town Highway, which was severely impacted by Tropical Storm Irene. Repair work includes reconstructing the road base and replacing culverts that had crossed the road in many locations. FEMA has obligated $1,237,055 in reimbursement funds to cover expenses such as contract labor fees incurred with the repair work. The Town of Bethel partially restored sections of the damaged road to pre-disaster condition and replaced the washed out rip rap, stone and fill on the road embankments.

FEMA obligates funding for Public Assistance projects directly to the State. As announced in May 2012, FEMA is paying 90 percent of Vermont applicants’ eligible costs for Tropical Storm Irene rather than the standard 75 percent. The state and municipality share the remainder of the cost.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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.