FEMA Funds for Katrina, Rita Top $10 Billion

Financial assistance to state and local governments to help repair or replace infrastructure throughout the Gulf coast damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita has topped the $10 billion mark, according to officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The money has been obligated to the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on behalf of state and local governments through FEMA's Public Assistance program for a variety of repair and reconstruction projects, like damaged schools, roads, utilities and reconstituting other critical infrastructure.

Through the Public Assistance program, FEMA reimburses state and local governments, and certain eligible private nonprofit organizations for the approved costs associated with repairing or replacing disaster-damaged infrastructure. Eligible projects include damaged roads and bridges, water control facilities, public buildings and their contents, publicly owned utilities and parks and recreation areas. The Public Assistance Program also funds eligible costs associated with debris removal and emergency protective measures related to the disaster.

The Gulf Coast Recovery Office Web site provides maps with detailed information about the infrastructure repair and rebuilding projects across the Gulf Coast. These maps allow readers to sort by types of projects, and view them across the Gulf, by State, community, and even neighborhood. FEMA continually makes enhancements and adds more information to the site. Visit the recovery maps @ www.fema.gov/gcro.