DENTON, Texas — The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently awarded more than $63.6 million to the state of New Mexico for road repairs and hazard mitigation as a result of severe storms and flooding in September 2014. A federal disaster declaration (DR-4199-NM) designated eight counties eligible for Public Assistance grants.

This award provides $63,602,780 in federal funding to Eddy County for permanent repairs and hazard mitigation to 24 aggregate, asphalt, and chip-and-seal roadways. A total of 111 miles of county roads sustained base and surface erosion due to flooding.

The FEMA grant includes more than $35.3 million for permanent road repairs. Another $28.3 million in funding is for hazard mitigation – measures taken to avoid future damage from flooding. This funding is provided to raise the roadways where additional elevation will prevent the road from becoming a water drainage channel.

“We are committed to working with our state partners to assist communities as they recover from natural disasters and rebuild critical infrastructure,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “This grant will help Eddy County rebuild roads to withstand flood waters in the future.”

FEMA obligates funding for this project directly to the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Following the state’s review process and upon receipt of appropriate documentation, it will provide funds to Eddy County on a reimbursable basis.

FEMA Public Assistance grants pay the federal share of the eligible costs for the work and will cover 75 percent of the work performed on this road project. The funding is provided by FEMA under authority of Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.

The mission of FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program is to provide assistance to state, tribal and local governments, and certain types of private nonprofit organizations so communities can respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the president. Learn more about FEMA’s Public Assistance at http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

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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 www.twitter.com/femaregion6 , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA and visit the FEMA blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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FEMA Awards $63.6 million to New Mexico for Road Repairs in Eddy County

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