BATON ROUGE, La. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today has extended federal disaster aid in eight Louisiana parishes to include supplemental funding for infrastructure repairs in the wake of Hurricane Isaac.

Eligible applicants in Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Livingston, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St John the Baptist and West Feliciana parishes can now apply for FEMA Public Assistance (PA) reimbursement for repairs to roads and bridges, water control facilities, buildings and equipment, utilities, parks and recreational facilities and other facilities.

The eight parishes already had been designated for FEMA Public Assistance funding for debris removal and emergency protective measures

“Getting hurricane-affected communities up and running is an important aspect of the overall recovery effort,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Hall. “Supplementary funding for infrastructure repairs in these parishes will also help people and businesses recover from the storm.”

Supplementary 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.

In all, current federal disaster declaration designates a total of 55 parishes as eligible to apply for some level of FEMA Public Assistance.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit online at www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow us 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.