More than $2 million flows to Oregon for recovery projects

SALEM, Ore. –The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today that it has awarded Oregon more than $2 million as a portion of the FEMA Public Assistance program allocation for recovery from the severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides occurring December 6-23, 2015. This is one of several awards that are expected to be distributed as a result of the nearly month-long weather events.

FEMA’s Public Assistance grants will go to more than 400 eligible projects in 14 counties covering Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill.

The Public Assistance program offers supplemental financial assistance on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities in designated counties. The program encourages protection of these facilities from future events by providing assistance for certain hazard mitigation measures.

Current estimate of eligible damage is approximately $40 million. FEMA reimburses 75 percent of eligible costs and makes grant awards to the state. Oregon manages the grant awards to applicants and is accountable for their use.

Of the current grants, approximately $1.2 million is being awarded for three large projects, and about $1 million for water and electric lines, equipment, roadway and trench repairs, and a host of other small projects. Reimbursements for costs of emergency measures taken during response to the storms throughout the 14 affected counties are also flowing to disaster recovery grant applicants.

“A $425,000 award went to Lake Oswego for replacement of a collapsed storm drain and repair of a 12-foot deep sinkhole, while another went to Columbia River People’s Utility District for about $380,000,” said Clint Fella, State Coordinating Officer for the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. “The electric cooperative in Columbia County sustained pole, line and other damage along 113 miles of 154 different roads during the weather event.”

The Port of Brookings Harbor is also scheduled to receive $416,250 for sediment hauling and removal.

“This funding for Oregon’s recovery marks a difference in the way we deliver assistance,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph Diemont. “It also points to the State of Oregon’s hard work in this recovery process. They help determine project eligibility.”

FEMA is implementing a new business model to deliver funding for public infrastructure recovery after a disaster. The new model does not represent a change in FEMA’s mission or in what it does, but is intended to improve the quality and efficiency of the recovery process for communities affected by disasters.

The disaster declaration signed by President Obama on Feb. 17, 2016 made FEMA’s Public Assistance recovery program available to declared counties. The state and FEMA have been working closely with local officials since Feb. 17 to identify damage, develop project costs and to deliver funding to assist in the recovery from the December, 2015 storms.