Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) are pleased to announce $136 million dollars in FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding has been allocated for Louisiana parishes impacted by Hurricanes Laura and Delta. This is the latest installment in HMGP funding that will be added to the $40 million dollar allocation announced in November. That brings the total in HMGP funding for Louisiana to $176 million.
Funding through the federal HMGP can be used on projects that potentially save lives and reduce property loss. Working with our local partners, the goal is to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to life and property by lessening the impact of a disaster. Hazard mitigation is the only phase of emergency management specifically dedicated to breaking the cycle of damage, reconstruction and repeat damage.
In addition to the funding for impacted parishes, Governor Edwards allocated $20 million for regional projects in coordination with the Louisiana Watershed Initiative [gov.louisiana.gov] .
Funding requires a 25-percent match by the grantee. All options are being examined to help local officials with that step.
“We look forward to working with our local partners and FEMA on projects that will help protect the citizens of Louisiana,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards. “As communities continue the hard work on recovery, this funding can be another helpful part of that process. Examples of typical mitigation activities include elevation, reconstruction or acquisition of flood-prone structures and converting land to green space, localized drainage improvements, safe room construction, wind retrofit of structures and emergency power for critical facilities. GOHSEP will work with each parish to develop a priority project list for this first installment and the remaining HMGP funding. Experts say one dollar spent in mitigation on average saves communities more than six dollars.”
Here is a parish-by-parish breakdown of the funding totals available for each parish with the new allocation:
- Acadia Parish
- $1,832,003
- Allen Parish
- $2,614,729
- Beauregard Parish
- $13,579,020
- Caddo Parish
- $1,322,663
- Calcasieu Parish
- $112,628,002
- Cameron Parish
- $9,483,777
- Claiborne Parish
- $1,271,549
- Grant Parish
- $2,286,214
- Iberia Parish
- $1,559,808
- Jackson Parish
- $684,281
- Jefferson Davis Parish
- $6,255,331
- Lafayette Parish
- $2,661,813
- LaSalle Parish
- $654,566
- Lincoln Parish
- $769,637
- Morehouse Parish
- $745,195
- Natchitoches Parish
- $1,270,544
- Ouachita Parish
- $1,615,681
- Rapides Parish
- $4,888,414
- Sabine Parish
- $852,384
- St. Landry Parish
- $1,572,046
- St. Martin Parish
- $952,966
- Union Parish
- $684,558
- Vermilion Parish
- $1,729,675
- Vernon Parish
- $3,26,656
- Winn Parish
- $1,103,598
HMGP is authorized by Section 404 of Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. 5170c and is available when authorized under a Presidential major disaster declaration. The amount of funding available to the State is calculated by FEMA based on a percentage of the estimated Federal assistance provided after a disaster as outlined in 44 CFR 206.432(b).
GOHSEP mitigation staff are poised to provide assistance and expertise to communities and eligible entities in project identification, sub application development, programmatic/policy guidance, planning, grants management, monitoring and closeout of activities.
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