Thursday, July 18, 2013

Christie Announces Added Fed Sandy Relief Grants

The Christie Administration announced yesterday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded more than $70 million in Public Assistance grants for multiple Superstorm Sandy recovery, repair and debris removal efforts throughout the state. Grants were awarded to the municipalities of Upper Township and Jersey City, as well as the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) and the Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority. Today’s grants announcement follows President Obama’s authorization of FEMA to increase its federal cost-share for Public Assistance grants associated with Sandy recovery in New Jersey from 75 percent to 90 percent.

Upper Township received federal funding for the use of contract labor to permanently re-nourish sand and dune grass on Strathmere Beach to preexisting levels before Sandy. Jersey City received federal funding to make repairs to Sandy-damaged City Hall, which include flood repair work and the disposal of demolition debris.

Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority and the PVSC also received federal funding to repair Sandy-damaged facilities. PVSC will use their grant for repair work to the PVSC Clarifier Building, which sustained severe damage and destruction to the facility’s entire electrical and water purification system due to flooding. Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority will use their grant to repair three facilities: the Main Pump Station, the Maintenance Building and the Grit Facility. Hardware and electrical wiring at all three Bayshore facilities were damaged or destroyed as a result of Sandy.

A Public Assistance grant was also awarded to DEP for the use of contractors for the removal of sand and sediment debris throughout New Jersey’s central waterways. Waterway debris removal is approximately 95 percent complete, with state officials continuing to identify and remove debris remaining in isolated waterways in the state.

The recipients, total project costs and FEMA grant amounts are as follows:

· UPPER TOWNSHIP (Cape May County) The total cost of the grant is $2.46 million. FEMA’s share of the cost is $2.21 million.

· JERSEY CITY (Hudson County) The total cost of the grant is $2.06 million. FEMA’s share of the cost is $1.85 million.

· BAYSHORE REGIONAL SEWERAGE AUTHORITY The total cost of the grant is $1.15 million. FEMA’s share of the cost is $1.03 million.

· PASSAIC VALLEY SEWERAGE COMMISSION The total cost of the grant is $5.82 million. FEMA’s share of the cost is $5.24 million.

· NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION The total cost of the grant is $66.37 million. FEMA’s share of the cost is $59.74 million.

Public Assistance reimburses local and county governments and certain nonprofit organizations for eligible disaster-related costs including emergency protective measures, debris removal and public infrastructure repair or replacement costs.

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