CHICAGO — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $351,066 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to Villa Grove, Ill., for the acquisition and demolition of eight residential structures and one public building located in the floodplains of the West Ditch and Embarras River.

“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. “This acquisition permanently removes the structures from the floodplain and greatly reduces the financial impact on individuals and the community when future flooding occurs in this area.”

“This project will build on other successful flood mitigation projects we’ve done in Villa Grove, which was once one of the most flood-prone areas in eastern Illinois,” said Jonathon Monken, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

HMGP provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. Through HMGP, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the $468,088 eligible project cost. The remaining 25 percent of the funds, $117,022 will be provided by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

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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