President Bush Continues 100% Funding for Certain La. Recovery Projects Through June 30

President George W. Bush has made additional disaster assistance available to the State of Louisiana by authorizing an extension of 100 percent federal funding for debris removal through June 30, 2006.

Eligible debris removal and emergency protective measures, including those involving direct federal assistance, will be reimbursed at 100 percent of the costs incurred. These projects fall under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance program.

“The magnitude of the damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita left an unprecedented amount of debris,” said Scott Wells, federal coordinating office for FEMA. “To date, we’ve made great progress in helping Louisiana with debris removal operations; and by extending federal funding, we will build on this progress and continue the recovery in Louisiana. Based on the plans Louisiana has in place for debris removal in heavily impacted parishes, the President has authorized this extension.”

The President has offered prior extensions for the State of Louisiana for both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to provide 100 percent federal funding to support continued work in the state. Under the major disaster declarations issued for Louisiana for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, federal funding for these Public Assistance projects was set at 100 percent of the total eligible costs for 60 days after the President’s major disaster declaration of Aug. 29, 2005 for Hurricane Katrina.

The President amended his declaration on Oct. 22, 2005 for Katrina and on Oct. 26, 2005 for Rita, extending the time period for 100 percent federal funding through Nov. 26, 2005 for both. On Nov. 20, 2006 the deadline was extended through Jan. 15, 2006. This declaration extends the time period for 100 percent reimbursement to June 30, 2006.