Territory Has Received $1.9 Billion In Grants, Loans, And Assistance From The Federal Government, Data Shows

The U.S. Virgin Islands, including the government and the people, has received more than $1.9 billion from the federal government in grants, loans and assistance, according to the website USVI Hurricane Recovery, which was recently launched by the Mapp administration and is said to give access to data regarding funding provided by the federal government.

In Small Business Association (SBA) loans, residents and businesses have received $501.11 million, with more than $206 million for homes; $68,902,700 for businesses and $5,410,300 for economic injury. In individual assistance from FEMA, residents have received $79.28 million; in Public Assistance from FEMA, the territory has received $769.69 million, with the breakdown seeing the bulk of funds so far being spent on St. Croix, which has received $480,426,349, followed by St. Thomas with $193,986,950, and St. John with 92,505,948.

According to the website, FEMA’s public assistance program provides federal assistance to state, tribal, territorial, local governments, and certain types of private nonprofit organizations so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.

The government has received most of the public assistance, with the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority being the biggest recipient with more than $600 million, followed by the Department of Public Works with more tha $46 million, and the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency with more than $44 million, according to the website.

Relative to the community disaster loans (C.D.L.), the U.S. Treasury has approved $121 million, with the bulk of the funds — $95 million — going directly to the Government of the Virgin Islands, while the Schneider Regional Medical Center and the Juan F. Luis Medical Center have received $13 million each.

Most of the government’s $95 million share of the C.D.L. went to payroll and fringe benefits.

Relative to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, the federal government has awarded $455.92 million in total, with most of the funding, approximately $422,596,119 being for Hurricane Maria-related damage. Only $33,324,000 has been awarded for Hurricane Irma-related damage, according to the data provided by the website.