DENTON, Texas – Federal funding totaling more than $1.9 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is making its way to the Pueblo of Santa Clara in New Mexico. It is the first in a series of reimbursements that are critical to the future recovery of the Santa Clara Canyon.

The funding is 75 percent of the total project cost of $2.5 million. It pays for the architectural and engineering costs associated with the structural and hydrological redesign and/or replacement of four earthen dams and spillways damaged during summer flooding in 2012. Additional funding approval to cover the cost for repair or improved projects is in process.

There are four main retention ponds in the upper Santa Clara Canyon. During heavy rain and flooding in late June and early July 2012, the ponds filled with debris and the spillways of each pond suffered severe damage from erosion and debris impact. The earthen dams of each pond also suffered severe erosion.
The flooding incident resulted in a major disaster declaration, not only for the Pueblo of Santa Clara, but also for the Mescalero Apache Tribe and Lincoln, Sandoval and Los Alamos counties. The same areas in the Santa Clara Canyon have flooded twice since the 2012 declaration.

To date, FEMA has awarded more than $10 million in Public Assistance funds to eligible applicants under the declaration, with $6.6 million of the funds paid for emergency projects and the remaining $3.4 million awarded for permanent work.

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 that communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the president.

Through the program, FEMA provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations. 

Learn more about FEMA’s Public Assistance program online www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

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