FEMA Awards $676,740 Grant to Saline County: Hazard mitigation funds will be used to acquire and demolish 9 flood prone structures

CHICAGO –The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $676,740 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to Saline County,Ill., for the acquisition and demolition of eight residential structures and one commercial structure located in the floodplain. Following demolition, these properties will be maintained as permanent open space in the community.

“The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program enables communities to implement critical mitigation measures to reduce the risk of loss of life and property,” said FEMA Region V Administrator Andrew Velasquez III. “The acquisition and demolition of these structures permanently removes them from the floodplain and greatly reduces the financial impact on individuals and the community when future flooding occurs in this area.

“Approval of this grant is good news for residents who have been hit by flooding many times in the past,” said Jonathon Monken, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. “The grant will enable them to move to higher ground and avoid future heartache and property losses.”

HMGP provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. Through HMGP, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the $902,320eligible project cost. The remaining 25 percent of the funds, $225,580, will be provided by Saline County.

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.

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Media Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf, (312) 408-4455

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