FEMA Provides Additional $138 Million To Restore Power, Remove Debris In USVI

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved more than $138 million in additional grants to pay for restoration of electric power and removal of debris in the U.S. Virgin Islands after hurricanes Irma and Maria.

FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) grant program obligated nearly $100 million for power restoration and more than $38 million for debris removal. The grants, which reimburse 100 percent of eligible costs, include:

Power restoration

• $45,615,177 to the V.I. Water and Power Authority-St. Croix for contract power restoration, including labor, equipment and mobilization costs associated with the emergency work.
• $34,495,021 to the V.I. Water and Power Authority-St. Thomas for power restoration.
• $12,953,099 to the V.I. Water and Power Authority-St. Croix for costs associated with the implementation of mutual aid agreements with power companies in Missouri, Florida and South Carolina.
• $6,875,325 to the V.I. Water and Power Authority-St. John for power restoration.

Debris removal

• $34,472,000 to the V.I. Department of Public Works-St. Croix for debris removal.
• $4,179,120 to the V.I. Department of Public Works-St. Thomas for debris removal.

These grants are in addition to more than $118 million in grants previously approved for emergency work after the hurricanes, FEMA said.

FEMA’s Public Assistance grant program provides federal assistance to government organizations and certain private nonprofit organizations following a Presidential disaster declaration. Grants include assistance for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged publicly-owned facilities, and the facilities of certain private nonprofit organizations. The PA program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.