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Seventeen New Jersey Communities are Recognized for Reducing their Flood Risk through the Community Rating System

LINCROFT, N.J. — Seventeen New Jersey municipalities will be recognized for reducing their flood hazard risk through the Community Rating System in awards ceremonies today and Wednesday, Dec. 18.

Today’s ceremony at 10 a.m. the Long Beach Township Courtroom will honor Bay Head, Beach Haven, Berkeley Township, Hazlet, Lavallette, Long Beach Township, Mantoloking, Middletown Township and Stafford Township. Wednesday’s ceremony at 12:30 p.m. at Sea Isle City Elementary School will honor Avalon, Cape May, Cape May Point, Longport, Margate, Ocean City, Sea Isle City and Upper Township.

The Community Rating System (CRS) is a program administered by FEMA that provides lower insurance premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program. Communities can apply to participate in the CRS, and residents of participating communities pay lower premium reduction rates based on the implementation of floodplain management policies.

Communities earn points toward their rating based on 18 creditable activities in four categories: Public Information, Mapping and Regulations, Flood Damage Reduction and Flood Preparedness. For towns participating in the CRS, flood insurance premium rates are discounted in 5 percent increments. Premium reductions are in the form of CRS Classes, similar to the classifications used for fire insurance. A Class 1 community (the highest level of compliance) would receive a 45% premium reduction.

Ten New Jersey municipalities (Sea Isle City, Avalon, Beach Haven, Bedminster, Brigantine, Long Beach Township, Longport, Mantoloking, Pompton Lakes and Stafford Township) are in Class 5, the highest level currently in the state. The 61 communities in the program have saved a total of $17 million.

Participating communities have better organized and more formal local flood programs, which can be evaluated against a nationally recognized benchmark. The discounted premiums give communities incentive to maintain its programs. Residents are reminded that their towns are working to protect them from flooding and will become more knowledgeable and interested in supporting and improving flood protection measures.

Learn more about the NFIP’s CRS program at http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/crs.shtm.

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications

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Seventeen New Jersey Communities are Recognized for Reducing their Flood Risk through the Community Rating System

Bayshore Sewerage Authority Mitigation Protects the Environment

BAYSHORE SEWERAGE AUTHORITY MITIGATION PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT

LINCROFT, N.J. — The effect Superstorm Sandy had on the environment was greater than what could be seen with the naked eye. While flooding, storm surges and high winds felled trees, destroyed beaches and dunes, and left waterways filled with debris, the damage the storm did to man-made structures also impacted many already environmentally sensitive areas.

The storm also created other environmental issues. In New Jersey, the Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority was faced with several problems when its Monmouth County facility was damaged during the storm. The wastewater treatment plant’s main electrical systems were completely shorted out, which also damaged the pumps and stopped the flow of sewage. The facility was without electric power for seven days.

R3M Engineering Project Manager Kevin D. Haney credited FEMA with responding quickly to the problems at the plant. “FEMA’s Category B Program provided funding for the authority to immediately put emergency measures in place to restore flows in the system and protect the community from literally having raw sewage in the streets,” Haney said.

The Door Oliver and Niro incinerators at the Sludge Dewatering and Incineration Building at the plant were both flooded, leaving no way to dispose of the sludge. The authority built a makeshift system of belt filter presses, a rented pump and a makeshift pipe to pump sludge out of the building into dumpsters. The sludge was then hauled away to another incinerator for disposal.

R3M Engineering Manager Manuel Ponte expects one of the incinerators to be operational in January. He pointed out that much of the crucial equipment and infrastructure in water treatment plants is underground, and the basements of all of the facility’s buildings flooded with up to 3 feet of water during Sandy.

Ponte says the authority is working with FEMA to review future mitigation options for the plant.

“What we are proposing to do is to wrap the superstructures in an impermeable membrane, whether it’s synthetic or concrete, depending on how high it has to be and how strong it has to be,” Ponte said.

The authority serves approximately 90,000 people in Hazlet, Union Beach, Holmdel, Aberdeen Township, Keansburg, Keyport, Matawan and parts of Marlboro Township.

A video of the Bayshore Sewerage Authority Mitigation Project is accessible at http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/86382

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications

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Bayshore Sewerage Authority Mitigation Protects the Environment

FEMA Applicant Letters Not End of Line

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois tornado survivors who registered for federal disaster assistance may receive letters from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that say they’re ineligible for help.

They can, however, turn what appears to be a ‘no’ into a ‘yes’.

Survivors can ask FEMA to review their application again if they appeal the agency’s decision within 60 days of receiving their letters.

FEMA cannot duplicate assistance that comes from insurance benefits or other government sources, but FEMA’s initial determination of ineligibility may change if private insurance or other government assistance is not enough to cover all the eligible damage.

It’s important for survivors to read their letters carefully because they provide explanations of what steps need to be taken to change the status of their request for assistance. Some of the reasons for an initial turn down can be easily remedied with more information such as:

Calling or writing to FEMA when a final insurance settlement is agreed upon.
Providing proof of ownership or residence, especially documents showing the damaged property was the primary residence at the time of the disaster.
Returning a completed Small Business Administration disaster loan application.
Signing essential documents.

Survivors can ask for another review to appeal the amount or type of help provided or any other decision about federal disaster assistance. Many issues can be resolved if applicants follow up with updated information or documentation.

When appealing, applicants should explain in writing why they disagree with a decision along with any new or additional documents supporting the appeal.

Appeal letters should include:

Federal disaster declaration number ‘4157-DR-IL’ on all pages of documents
Applicant information, including;
- Nine-digit FEMA application number on all pages of documents
- Name
- Date and place of birth
- Address of the damaged dwelling
Copies of verifiable documentation supporting the appeal. All receipts, bills and estimates must include contact information for the service provider. Applicants should keep all originals for their records.
A copy of a state-issued identification card, unless the letter is notarized or includes the following statement: “I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true

and correct.”

The applicant’s signature.

Applicants may mail the appeal letter to:

FEMA

National Processing Service Center

P.O. Box 10055

Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

Applicants may fax the appeal letter to:

800-827-8112

Attention: FEMA

It is important to have appeal letters postmarked within 60 days of the date on the decision letter.

If applicants have any questions about appealing, they should call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or

TTY 800-462-7585 or go to FEMA.gov/Help-After-Disaster.

For the latest information on Illinois’ recovery from the Nov. 17 storms, visit FEMA.gov/Disaster/4157. Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, facebook.com/fema and youtube.com/fema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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. Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of funding for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

NEWS DESK: 217-522-2080

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FEMA Applicant Letters Not End of Line

FEMA Awards $1.6M to Montgomery Co., TX for Debris Removal from Hurricane Ike

DENTON, Texas – More than $1.6 million has been awarded to Montgomery County, Texas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for debris and sediment removal accumulated after Hurricane Ike.

The $1,631,996 payment is in addition to more than $14 million already awarded to the county for debris removal. FEMA reimbursed 100 percent of eligible debris removal costs under the Agency’s Public Assistance (PA) program.

The Public Assistance grant program provides assistance to states, tribal and local governments, and certain private nonprofits to help them recover from disasters or emergencies declared by the president. Learn more about PA at http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

Hurricane Ike hit the upper Texas Gulf Coast in the early hours of the morning on Sept. 13, 2008. Ike made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane. Its maximum winds of 110 mph barely missed making Ike a Category 3 storm. Wind gusts hit 125 mph. In 2009, nearly 20.1 million cubic yards of debris had been removed from eligible areas affected by the disaster. That’s a debris pile as big as a football field and nearly eight times the height of the Empire State Building.

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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. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/femaregion6, and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

FEMA Awards $1.6M to Montgomery Co., TX for Debris Removal from Hurricane Ike

Boulder Disaster Recovery Center to Close

DENVER – The last Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) for the September Colorado severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides is closing permanently at 3 p.m., MST, Saturday, Dec. 21.

BOULDER COUNTY

Premier Credit Union Building

5495 Arapahoe Ave.

Boulder, CO 80303

Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., MST

After the center closes, disaster survivors can call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 800-621-3362 to have questions answered about their disaster assistance registration, check their application status, or update their insurance claim or contact information. A FEMA representative is available at the toll-free number from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MST, seven days a week.

Anyone with questions concerning a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) or for information about SBA programs, go to sba.gov/disaster or call (800) 659-2955, press 2 for Spanish (TTY 1-800-977-8339).

Small businesses and most private nonprofits without physical losses have until June 16, 2014, to apply for Economic Injury Loans only.

In all, 24 DRCs were opened to help Colorado residents who had damage due to the severe weather in September.

DRCs are operated by the Colorado Office of Emergency Management and FEMA in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), county and local governments.

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA Helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585.

m.fema.gov in the browser.

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Boulder Disaster Recovery Center to Close

Repair Tornado-Damaged Vehicles with Federal Help

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Anyone who had a car damaged or destroyed in counties affected by the Nov. 17 Illinois tornadoes may be eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster assistance.

Those who may be eligible include not just residents of the designated counties, but also those who were working or visiting in areas and had damage to their vehicle during the tornadoes.

Only those who maintain at least liability insurance will be considered to receive federal disaster assistance to repair or replace their car. Liability coverage is the minimum insurance requirement for Illinois drivers. Liability insurance policies do not cover storm-related damage to their car. Survivors who register must submit proof to FEMA that they maintain liability coverage to be considered for federal disaster assistance to repair or replace their car.
Survivors who have a comprehensive policy should first file a claim with their insurance company. Comprehensive policies usually pay for storm-related damages to a car. However, federal disaster assistance may help fill in the gaps for those whose comprehensive insurance coverage does not pay for any or all storm-related damage costs.
Survivors need to return a completed Small Business Administration disaster-loan application. After registering with FEMA, the SBA will contact many survivors concerning loan applications. It’s important for survivors to submit their application. Homeowners and renters may be eligible to borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property, including automobiles damaged or destroyed in the disaster.
FEMA grants to repair or replace a car must clear the SBA loan process. A survivor may receive a grant from FEMA to repair or replace their car if insurance is insufficient and they were declined for SBA loan home loan. Grants do not need to be repaid.
Keep documents. Federal disaster assistance is reimbursed to survivors only if their car had damage during the Nov. 17 tornadoes. Survivors must submit an itemized document that shows damage to the car is storm-related and a receipt, estimate or verifiable bill of the repair or replacement costs.

FEMA officials advise anyone whose vehicle was damaged during the tornadoes to register for assistance. Survivors in the following counties should register: Champaign, Douglas, Fayette, Grundy, Jasper, La Salle, Massac, Pope, Tazewell, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, Will and Woodford.

Register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585, or register with a smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov.

SBA provides low-interest, long term disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster.

NEWS DESK: 217-522-2080

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Repair Tornado-Damaged Vehicles with Federal Help

Federal and State Infrastructure Aid For 2013 Flood Events Tops $18.6 Million

BISMARCK, N.D. – Today the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and North Dakota Department of Emergency Services announced that federal and state assistance funding for public infrastructure repairs following the 2013 winter and spring floods has surpassed $18.6 million.

On May 29 President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for the winter snowmelt flooding. On July, 12, a second declaration was made in response to flooding caused by a series of heavy rainfall events. Both declarations activated the Public Assistance program, providing assistance for emergency work, debris removal, and repairs to or replacement of infrastructure, including roads, bridges and schools.

FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) Program provides funding to local government jurisdictions and eligible private non-profits for the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged infrastructure as well as costs incurred for disaster cleanup or emergency actions taken to protect lives or property. The federal share of recovery costs is 75 percent. The remaining share is the responsibility of the state and local government or private non-profit organization.

To date, $16.4 million in federal funding has been obligated for 349 infrastructure projects. Of that amount, $9.2 million is for roads and bridges throughout the state, $3.7 million is for emergency protective measures, $850,000 is for debris removal and $2.5 million is for other projects. The state is providing an additional $2.2 million as its cost-share toward all projects.

PA projects fall broadly into two categories, small projects (total project cost of $67,500 or less) and large projects (total project cost greater than $67,500). Applicants receive funding for small projects as soon as funding is obligated and receive funding for large projects when receipts and cost documentation for work completed is provided to the state. FEMA provides funding to the state and the state in turn awards the funds to the applicant.

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Federal and State Infrastructure Aid For 2013 Flood Events Tops $18.6 Million

Federal Aid Programs for the State of California Declaration

Main Content

Release date:

December 13, 2013

Release Number:

HQ-13-127 Factsheet

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama’s disaster declaration issued for the State of California.

Assistance for the State and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for emergency protective measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. Emergency protective measures assistance is available to state and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for state and local governments will be explained at a series of federal/state applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the state from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.

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

Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema ; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.

Last Updated:

December 13, 2013 – 18:08

State/Tribal Government or Region:

California

Related Disaster:

California Rim Fire

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Federal Aid Programs for the State of California Declaration

President Declares Disaster for California

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of California to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by the Rim Fire during the period of August 17 to October 24, 2013.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the Rim Fire in Tuolumne County.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Stephen M. DeBlasio Sr. has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. DeBlasio said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

# # #

Follow FEMA online at blog.fema.gov, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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President Declares Disaster for California

SBA Loans Help Individuals & Businesses on the Road to Recovery

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials, along with partners from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are encouraging homeowners, renters and businesses to apply for low-interest disaster loans to help fund their losses.

If Illinois residents apply for assistance with FEMA and are referred to the SBA, it’s important for them to submit a loan application to assure that the federal disaster recovery process continues and they keep their options open:

Many survivors who register with FEMA will be contacted by the SBA. Survivors can submit their SBA disaster loan applications one of three ways: by mail, in person at a Disaster Recovery Center or online at DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ela.
It is important for survivors to complete and return the application as soon as possible. Filing the loan application does not obligate people to accept an SBA loan and failure to complete and submit an SBA loan application may stop the FEMA grant process. However, homeowners and renters who submit an SBA application and are declined a loan may be considered for certain other FEMA grants and programs that could include assistance for disaster-related car repairs, clothing and household items.
Next to insurance, an SBA loan is the primary funding source for real estate property repairs and replacing lost contents following a disaster like a tornado. Homeowners may be eligible for low interest loans up to $200,000 for repairs.
SBA can help renters replace their essential items. Homeowners and renters may be eligible to borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property, including automobiles damaged or destroyed in the disaster.
Loans for businesses and private non-profit organizations. Loans are available up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate, and other business assets. Eligible small businesses and non-profits can apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster.
Do not wait on an insurance settlement before returning an application. Insurance may not pay for any or all of the storm-related damage. Survivors can begin their recovery immediately with an SBA disaster loan. The loan balance will be reduced by their insurance settlement.

For additional information about SBA low-interest disaster loans, contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visiting sba.gov/disaster. SBA customer service representatives are available at all disaster recovery centers. Centers can be found online at fema.gov/DRC.

For the latest information on Illinois’ recovery from the Nov. 17 storms, visit FEMA.gov/Disaster/4157. Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, facebook.com/fema and youtube.com/fema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

SBA provides low-interest, long term disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster.

NEWS DESK: 217-522-2080

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SBA Loans Help Individuals & Businesses on the Road to Recovery

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