The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released more than $2.2 billion in disaster relief funds for natural disasters from 2021 through 2024.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the money would be to support ongoing recovery efforts.
“This investment will repair and restore critical public infrastructure across the country, including schools, public safety facilities, utilities, and community services,” Noem said. “American communities are rebuilding stronger, and today’s approvals show this Administration’s commitment to cutting red tape and getting recovery dollars out the door faster.”
Officials said the funds would be distributed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance program to support more than 1,700 recovery projects across the country. The money will be sent to states and local communities who handle recovery activities on the ground, and community needs during recovery after a disaster.
The projects include repairs to educational facilities and infrastructure, as well as debris removal and reimbursement for costs incurred during emergencies to protect life and property.
Funds released included more than $200 million for emergency protective measures performed by North Carolina Emergency Management such as providing temporary facilities and mobilizing base camps, during Hurricane Helene in September 2024; more than $114 million for Kentucky Division of Emergency Management for removing debris from waterways due to severe storms and flooding in 2022; $33 million for Wynne Public School to repair and restore their high school campus, including work to their library, entrance, and high school gymnasium that was destroyed in a tornado in 2023; and $66 million for Grand Isle and Lafitte in Jefferson Parish, LA for the replacement of waterlines damaged during the Hurricane Ida in 2021.
FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides supplemental grants to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments, as well as certain private non-profits so that communities can quickly respond major disasters. To be eligible, the entity applying for the funds must be a state, territorial, tribal or local government or a private non-profit, and the facility for which the grant will be used must be a building, public works system, equipment or natural feature. The work being done must be required as a result of the declared incident and located within the designated disaster area. The grants can only be used for eligible costs including labor, equipment, materials, contract work and administrative costs.