Additional Mississippi Counties Approved For Infrastructure Disaster Aid

RIDGELAND, Miss. – Local governments in Issaquena and Lawrence counties are now eligible to receive federal assistance to help cover expenses and repair damage associated with the Mississippi March floods, according to state and federal officials.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency said the two counties have been added to the disaster declaration issued by President Obama on March 25, 2016. That declaration authorized assistance for local governments in Bolivar, Claiborne, Clarke, Coahoma, Covington, Forrest, Greene, Holmes, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Leake, Leflore, Lincoln, Marion, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Walthall, Washington and Wayne counties.

The disaster declaration makes designated state, county and local governments, as well as certain private nonprofit organizations, eligible to receive reimbursement through the Public Assistance program.

Under the Public Assistance grant program, FEMA pays 75 percent of the cost for infrastructure 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 the state.

The state and FEMA are working to schedule applicant briefings with officials of eligible entities and nonprofit organizations in the newly 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.

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