The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $75 million in additional federal funding for disaster recovery projects across Georgia, including millions of dollars for debris removal and emergency response costs.
FEMA announced this week that another $75.4 million has been obligated for 56 projects related to Hurricane Helene, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other previous disasters.
The money is being provided primarily through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, which reimburses eligible state and local governments and certain organizations for costs associated with disaster response and recovery. The Georgia funding is part of more than $2 billion FEMA recently announced for nearly 1,500 projects nationwide.
- $23.9 million to Emory Healthcare, Inc. for management costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- $10.6 million to Columbia County for debris removal.
- $4.3 million to Georgia Emergency Management Agency for emergency protective measures.
- $4 million to Georgia Department of Transportation for debris removal.
- $3.8 million to Jeff Davis County for debris removal.
- $2.8 million to Augusta-Richmond County for debris removal operations.
Those six awards alone account for approximately $49.4 million of the $75.4 million announced for Georgia. FEMA did not list the remaining allocations.
The state also received funds from FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which empowers states, local governments, tribal nations and territories to complete activities and projects that prevent, eliminate, or reduce disaster-related damage. FEMA will provide grant funding to Georgia for the following projects:
- $292,000 for Georgia’s hazard mitigation plan.
- $240,000 for Chatham County’s resilience plan.
Unlike Public Assistance funding, which largely helps communities recover from damage that has already occurred, hazard mitigation funding is intended to reduce the risks and costs associated with future disasters.
