Hurricanes

Senior Administration Officials Joined President to See Recovery Progress Firsthand

October 15, 2009 --
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On his sixth trip to New Orleans since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, President Barack Obama today visited the Dr. Martin Luther King Charter School and held a town hall event to hear directly from the people of Louisiana. President Obama discussed both the progress made in the region and the challenges that remain. In his first public event in New Orleans, President Obama also spent time answering questions from everyday people.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Charlie Melancon (LA-03) took part in President Barack Obama’s first visit to Louisiana during his administration. Following the visit, Congressman Melancon made the following statement:

“President Obama’s visit to Louisiana put a national spotlight on the progress we've made and reminded Americans that our recovery is not complete,” said Rep. Melancon. “We are grimly watching our coastal wetlands disappear and desperately-needed hurricane protection projects are still stalled by red tape and lack of funding.

“But today, we were able to get our President, our Governor, our legislators and our neighbors all in one room to talk about how we finish the job. Now it’s time to deliver for Louisiana.”    » read more »

Oct 14, 2009 -- ADDIS – Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal awarded five grants totaling $9,792,570 to West Baton Rouge Parish that will go towards hurricane recovery efforts, hazard mitigation and infrastructure improvements. Governor Jindal awarded the funds to local officials in a ceremonial check presentation during an address to the West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce as part of his “Louisiana Working Tour.”

The five grants awarded include a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) totaling $8,197,025, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding totaling $1,424,831, two Community Water Enrichment Fund (CWEF) grants totaling $135,714 and one Local Government Assistance Program (LGAP) grants totaling $35,000.    » read more »

Will Visit New Orleans Later This Year

August 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Barack Obama remembered the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, described what his administration has done to boost the Gulf Coast recovery effort, and said that he will visit New Orleans before the end of the year. As the Gulf Coast recovers, we must learn the lessons of Katrina, so that our nation will be more protected and resilient in the face of disaster – whether it’s from a hurricane, earthquake, wildfire, pandemic, or terrorist attack.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, August 29, 2009    » read more »

House Bill 4102 provides relief to school districts affected by disasters

August 28, 2009 -- BEAUMONT – Texas Governor Rick Perry today announced the state has authorized more than $62.8 million to reimburse school districts for the cost of repairs incurred as a result of Hurricane Ike. The reimbursements are part of House Bill 4102, which provides relief for school districts impacted by disasters or other emergencies.    » read more »

Governor Jindal announces FEMA will cover 100 percent of debris removal efforts after Hurricane Ike; State and local agencies cost share dropped to 10 percent for rebuilding work under the Public Assistance Program

Jul 01, 2009 -- BATON ROUGE – Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has dropped the state’s cost share for Hurricane Ike response and recovery operations, which the state estimates could save state and local agencies between $15 million and $20 million.

Language in a recent supplemental bill passed by Congress directed FEMA to drop the state’s cost-share burden for the Public Assistance program for Hurricane Ike, which struck Louisiana just days after    » read more »

$439 Million for Barrier Island Restoration Included in Supplemental Appropriations Bill

June 18, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., applauded today’s passage of the FY 2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill, legislation containing funding for Hurricane Katrina recovery in addition to needed funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Following passage of the legislation, Wicker issued the following statement:

“This bill funds our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and provides the resources they need to carry out their mission. The bill also contains much-needed funding to restore the federally-owned barrier islands.    » read more »

All Ike Related Debris Removal Now Eligible for 100% Reimbursement, Public Assistance Federal Costshare Increased to 90%

June 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Today U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Texas’ senior senator, announced that the Fiscal Year 2009 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill which passed the U.S. Senate included a provision she secured allowing the Texas counties impacted by Hurricane Ike to access millions in additional Debris Removal and Public Assistance reimbursements from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).    » read more »

June 19, 2009 -- GALVESTON – Texas Governor Rick Perry today signed House Bill (HB) 4586, the supplemental appropriations bill that includes $150 million in funding to help the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston recover from Hurricane Ike. The governor also signed HB 4409, which reforms the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA).    » read more »

Jun 18, 2009 -- BATON ROUGE – Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced that FEMA has granted Louisiana $177.6 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding to support projects to protect the state from future damage following Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Governor Jindal said, “In the days following two back-to-back hurricanes that devastated many communities in our state last year, we saw the benefits of previous mitigation work, as elevated homes and buildings were largely spared from floodwater. We must now work to elevate even more homes, reinforce more buildings and structures and become better prepared for future storms.”    » read more »

Governor Jindal Announces $565.5 Million in Federal Aid to Parishes Across State for Recovery from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike

June 15, 2009 -- BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced Monday that 53 parishes will share more than $565.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to aid their recoveries from hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which caused widespread housing and infrastructure damage last year.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development notified Louisiana of its second award of disaster recovery funds, meaning the state’s $800 million recovery plan is fully funded.    » read more »

Governor Bobby Jindal Announces Second Allocation of Federal Recovery Assistance - $620 Million in Aid for Hurricanes Gustav & Ike Recovery

Jun 10, 2009 -- BATON ROUGE – Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced that the federal government’s second allotment of recovery assistance to assist the state in building back from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike totals $620 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the funding earlier today, and this second allotment follows the first allotment of $438 million to Louisiana from HUD last year.    » read more »

Preparation Makes Recovery Easier; Communications, 'Battening Down' and Surging Back to Action Drive Service Ethic

June 4, 2009 -- NEW YORK - As Verizon network personnel track, plan for, battle and oversee recovery from storms this hurricane season, they'll use a dynamic tool that capitalizes on more than a century and a quarter of experience fighting storms: an updated checklist that codifies years of lessons learned, is timed to match a storm's progress, and targeted to specific work groups.    » read more »

After months of working on the issue with the administration and Louisiana delegation, projects will go forward.

06/02/2009 -- WASHINGTON -- United States Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Disaster Recovery Subcommittee, today announced major progress for Louisiana hurricane recovery projects located in designated High Velocity Flood Zones.    » read more »

Continues efforts to promote preparedness at State Emergency Operations Center
www.FloridaDisaster.org

June 3, 2009 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today joined state leaders and the state emergency response team (SERT) for a hurricane tabletop exercise as part of his continued focus on Florida’s preparation for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. During this training exercise, Governor Crist praised the commitment of emergency responders to public service and reiterated his confidence that Florida is ready and able to handle a disaster.    » read more »