Politics & Government

FEMA to Give $2.6 Million to Point Beach for Sandy Clean-up Costs

FEMA to also fund $51 million to state DEP

 

FEMA is sending $2.6 million to Point Beach as reimbursement for removal of Sandy-related debris, according to US Sen. Robert Menendez.

FEMA is allocating the funds to New Jersey which will, in turn, send the grant of $2,669,857.20 to Point Beach for the cost of paying contractors for the loading, hauling, and disposal of debris, according to a statement from Menendez's office.

Find out what's happening in Point Pleasantwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

FEMA is also awarding a grant of about $51,091,658 to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), also for Sandy-related debris removal costs.

The combination of funds earmarked for Point Beach and the DEP are a total of nearly $54 million.

Find out what's happening in Point Pleasantwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Mayor Vincent Barrella said late Friday afternoon that apparently the funds for Point Beach have been under consideration for a while, but had not yet been "released."

He said he called the White House at the end of May or beginning of June to inquire about when the town will actually get the funding, which resulted in FEMA representatives from Washington D.C. meeting with Barrella and other local officials on June 4.

"The White House sent FEMA to meet with us, and now the money has been released," Barrella said. "Now the money goes to the state. We don't know yet when we are actually getting it."

The municipality is introducing its budget at its meeting this Tuesday night. It has had to borrow extensively to pay for Sandy-related expenses, including sand and debris removal and a new boardwalk. FEMA has also pledged a maximum of $2.1 million towards the cost of rebuilding the boardwalk, although the town has yet to receive any of that funding, Barrella said on Friday.

The statement from Menendez's office states:

“Throughout New Jersey’s communities, lands and waterways, the cleanup of Superstorm Sandy’s wreckage was extensive. This federal funding will help cover the cost of these efforts by the state Department of Environment Protection,” said Menendez, who helped lead the New Jersey delegation in the fight for federal Sandy relief.  “Federal reimbursements are a critical part of our long-term recovery, and I remain committed to fighting for these resources to make sure New Jersey comes back better and stronger than before the storm.

"The funding announced today comes in four separate grants:

  • $15,994,243.88 to the NJDEP for the loading, hauling, disposal, and monitoring of waterway debris.
  • $23,160,047.21 to the NJDEP for the use of contractors for the loading, hauling, and disposal of waterway debris
  • $11,937,367.22 to the NJDEP for the use of contractors for the loading, hauling, disposal and monitoring of debris
  • $2,669,857.20 to Point Pleasant Beach for the use of force account and contractors for the loading, hauling, and disposal of debris

In January, President Barack Obama signed the Superstorm Sandy Supplemental Appropriations bill into law, bringing the total Sandy aid enacted by Congress to $60.2 billion. The funding package included federal aid to help homeowners, businesses, and communities recover, and resources to rebuild coastal, transportation, and water infrastructure.

Public Assistance grants are awarded by FEMA on a rolling basis after receiving applications from the state, which coordinates the process with local governments."


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