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have a mental health problem which was caused by or
aggravated by the disaster or its aftermath, or he or she
must benefit from services provided by the program.
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
Public Assistance, oriented to public entities, can
fund the repair, restoration, reconstruction, or replace-
ment of a public facility or infrastructure, which is
damaged or destroyed by a disaster.
Eligible applicants include State governments, local
governments and any other political subdivision of the
State, Native American tribes and Alaska Native
Villages. Certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations
may also receive assistance. Eligible PNPs include
educational, utility, irrigation, emergency, medical,
rehabilitation, and temporary or permanent custodial
care facilities (including those for the aged and
disabled), and other PNP facilities that provide
essential services of a governmental nature to the
general public. PNPs that provide “critical services”
(power, water--including water provided by an
irrigation organization or facility, sewer, wastewater
treatment, communications and emergency medical
care) may apply directly to FEMA/EPR for a disaster
grant. All other PNPs must first apply to the Small
Business Administration (SBA) for a disaster loan. If
the PNP is declined for a SBA loan or the loan does
not cover all eligible damages, the applicant may re-
apply for FEMA/EPR assistance.
As soon as practicable after the declaration, the
State, assisted by FEMA/EPR, conducts the Applicant
Briefings for State, local and PNP officials to inform
them of the assistance available and how to apply for
it. A Request for Public Assistance must be filed with
the State within 30 days after the area is designated
eligible for assistance. Following the Applicant’s
Briefing, a Kickoff Meeting is conducted where
damages will be discussed, needs assessed, and a plan
of action put in place. A combined Federal/State/local
team proceeds with Project Formulation, which is the
process of documenting the eligible facility, the
eligible work, and the eligible cost for fixing the
damages to every public or PNP facility identified by
State or local representatives. The team prepares a
Project Worksheet (PW) for each project. Projects fall
into the following categories:
• Category A: Debris removal
• Category B: Emergency protective measures
• Category C: Road systems and bridges
• Category D: Water control facilities
• Category E: Public buildings and contents
• Category F: Public utilities
• Category G: Parks, recreational, and other
For insurable structures within special flood hazard
areas (SFHA), primarily buildings, assistance from
FEMA/EPR is reduced by the amount of insurance
settlement that could have been obtained under a
standard NFIP policy. For structures located outside of
a SFHA, FEMA/EPR will reduce the amount of
eligible assistance by any available insurance proceeds.
FEMA/EPR reviews and approves the PWs and
obligates the Federal share of the costs (which cannot
be less than 75 percent) to the State. The State then
disburses funds to local applicants.
Projects falling below a certain threshold are
considered ‘small.’ The threshold is adjusted annually
for inflation. For fiscal year 2005, that threshold is
$55,500. For small projects, payment of the Federal
share of the estimate is made upon approval of the
project and no further accounting to FEMA/EPR is
required. For large projects, payment is made on the
basis of actual costs determined after the project is
completed; although interim payments may be made as
necessary. Once FEMA/EPR obligates funds to the
State, further management of the assistance, including
disbursement to subgrantees is the responsibility of the
State. FEMA/EPR will continue to monitor the
recovery progress to ensure the timely delivery of
eligible assistance and compliance with the law and
regulations.
Hazard Mitigation
Hazard Mitigation refers to sustained measures
enacted to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people
and property from natural hazards and their effects. In
the long term, mitigation measures reduce personal
loss, save lives, and reduce the cost to the nation of
responding to and recovering from disasters.
Two sections of the Stafford Act, §404 and §406,
can provide hazard mitigation funds when a Federal
disaster has been declared. In each case, the Federal
government can provide up to 75 percent of the cost,
with some restrictions.
Through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
(HMGP), authorized by §404 of the Act, communities
can apply for mitigation funds through the State. The