FEMA and HSEM Provide More Than $4.3 Million Combined for Scanlon Interceptor Repairs

DULUTH, Minn. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that $2,012,087 has been made available to the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) in federal disaster aid for repairs to the Scanlon (Division D) Interceptor. Additionally, Minnesota Recovers has approved $2,334,497 in Disaster Relief Appropriation Funds to assist with essential restorations. The interceptor sustained damages during the June 14 – 21 severe storms and flooding. The FEMA funds are being made available as part of recovery efforts in response to President Obama’s federal disaster declaration of July 6, 2012.

The Scanlon Interceptor is a 36 inch iron pipe that carries wastewater to the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) Knowlton Creek Pump Station in West Duluth. Flooding damaged a 150 foot portion of the Pipe Bridge, where the pipeline emerges from ground cover and is elevated over a creek. Three of the seven supporting concrete piers and the pipe itself were damaged. Rip-rap was eroded on each side of the creek and a portion of the six-foot high chain link fence that surrounds the pipeline and piers was destroyed.

In addition to repairing the damages caused by the disaster, WLSSD plans on replacing an additional 265 linear feet of the pipe, lining 175 linear feet of the buried portion of pipeline, and renovating three manholes. WLSSD intends to utilize the MN Recovers funds to cover the costs of these restorations.

FEMA’s Public Assistance 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 non-profit organization.

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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.