About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

1 [1] (May 1, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govdabu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 





-c    r s c n ...........e


May 1, 2020


A Brief Overview of FEMA's Public Assistance Program


The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA)
Public Assistance (PA) program provides financial
assistance to states, tribes, and territories when authorized
as part of an emergency or major disaster declaration by the
President. PA's broad scope includes assistance for urgent
response undertaken immediately before or after a hazard
strikes, as well as long-term recovery assistance completed
years later. PA was authorized in every U.S. state, territory,
and the District of Columbia over the past decade.

If authorized, a state, tribe, or territory becomes the PA
primary grant Recipient. State, tribal, territorial, and local
governments, as well as eligible nonprofit entities, may then
apply for funding. Applicants must submit a request for
grant funds to the PA primary grant Recipient, which
evaluates the potential eligibility with FEMA. The Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(the Stafford Act, P.L. 93-288, as amended) authorizes
FEMA to reimburse not less than 75% of the eligible costs
of specific types of disaster response and recovery work
undertaken by eligible applicants. FEMA may recommend
an increase of the federal cost share in extraordinary cases.

PA2HgUk Work
PA includes both short-term Emergency Work
undertaken to respond to a disaster or an emergency, and
long-term Permanent Work undertaken to recover from a
major disaster. Emergency Work must be completed within
six months of a declaration, though extensions may be
granted. Permanent Work generally must be completed
within 18 months of a declaration. FEMA may grant
extensions to all PA project deadlines.
Emergency Work may be authorized under an emergency
or major disaster declaration. It includes efforts undertaken


to save lives; protect property, public health, and safety;
and reduce or avert the threat of a catastrophe.
* Debris Removal (Category A)-Eligible entities may
   receive direct assistance and reimbursement for the costs
   of removing debris and wreckage from public and
   private property when FEMA determines such work is
   in the public interest.
* Emergency Protective Measures (Category B)-
   Eligible entities may receive direct assistance and
   reimbursement for work undertaken to save lives and
   protect property (e.g., search and rescue, emergency
   transportation, and distribution of food and first aid).
Permanent Work may only be authorized under a major
disaster declaration. It includes efforts to repair, restore,
reconstruct, or replace disaster-damaged public and eligible
private nonprofit facilities. Eligible entities may receive
reimbursement for eligible work undertaken to return the
following types of facilities to their pre-disaster use:
* Roads and Bridges (Category C)-except federal aid
   roads;
* Water Control Facilities (Category D)-including
   dams and levees;
* Buildings and Equipment (Category E)-including
   eligible building contents;
* Utilities (Category F)-including gas, power, water,
   communication, and sewage facilities; and
* Parks, Recreational, Other (Category G)-including
   railways, beaches, piers, ports, and harbors.


              Figure 1. General Timing of Public Assistance Programs

            4,  AT-R 1UVP   N

DE~C$C Apa aRdRMrnrutNo

                                           44  ontc rdid&
                   .......W....C.....s..Fa.......s.a4...k.......eati..n..
                            ..... ..... ..... .....

         ...ZARO.  .............
                    .... ... ... ... ... ... ..N
   ......            ...... ......


Source: Developed by CRS based on 44 C.F.R. §206.204(c) and (d); and FEMA, Public Assistance Policy and Program Guide (PAPPG), FP 104-009-2,
April 2018. pp.x, 141-142.
Notes: * These timelines reflect 44 C.F.R. §206.204(c), though extensions may be granted upon request per 44 C.F.R. §206.204(c) and (d).


g
,, 'gmm      mgmmmgo
IN
10                0\
ILU

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

profiles profiles most