Supplemental Funding Available for Private Debris Removal in St. John Parish

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved supplemental funding for debris removal from qualified private property in St. John Parish.

Debris removal from private property is generally not eligible for FEMA’s Public Assistance funding. FEMA may help fund removal if debris on residential and private business property is so widespread that public health, safety and the economic recovery of the community is threatened, but it must be approved in advance by FEMA.

“Hurricane Isaac left tons of debris in its wake. FEMA continues to work with our partners in St. John Parish to help eliminate this safety and health hazard for their citizens,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Hall.

Supplemental funding under the PA program goes to the state and its agencies, local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations. Under the program, FEMA obligates funds to the state for 75 percent of eligible costs, while the applicant covers the remaining 25 percent. The state forwards the federal funds to the eligible local governments or organizations that incurred costs.

Eligible removal includes the clearance, removal, and/or disposal of storm-generated debris such as trees, sand, gravel, building materials, wreckage, vehicles and personal property.

Ineligible debris includes debris from vacant lots, forests, heavily wooded areas and debris on agricultural lands used for crops or livestock. Construction debris used in the reconstruction of disaster-damaged improved property is ineligible.

For debris removal to be eligible the work must be necessary to:

• Eliminate an immediate threat to lives, public health and safety,
• Eliminate immediate threats of significant damage to improved public and private property when the measures are cost effective, or
• Ensure the economic recovery of the affected community to the benefit of the community-at-large.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.  If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

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 http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, the R6 Hurricane Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/about/regions/regionvi/updates.shtm and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.