FEMA implements Immediate Needs Funding guidance to prioritize support
The guideline implementation responds to the passage of Tropical Storm Ernesto.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has informed the Puerto Rico government that it implemented Immediate Needs Funding (INF) guidelines in response to Tropical Storm Ernesto, which recently impacted the Caribbean.
The INF guidelines were put into place as the storm brought heavy rains and gusty winds to parts of Puerto Rico, causing power outages.
Manuel Laboy, executive director of the island’s Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), assured that this move will not affect the ongoing disbursement process.
“It’s important to note that reconstruction projects with obligated funds continue to be implemented, without interrupting the process of disbursing funds,” Laboy said. “FEMA notified that it would continue to accept and/or process applications for those permanent Public Assistance projects, as well as for Hazard Mitigation Grants that are not obligated.”
“However, these will not be obligated until and as soon as the implementation of the INF is terminated. The exception to this guideline is emergency activities intended to save lives and protect property, such as those included in Categories A and B of the Public Assistance program,” the COR3 director added.
This temporary measure ensures that funds are available to protect lives during disasters and is due to the rapidly depleting Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), which supports all U.S. states and territories, Laboy explained.
Laboy recently attended meetings in Washington, D.C., to address the DRF issue, among other concerns.
“The message was clear: like states like Florida, Texas and California, as well as territories like the U.S. Virgin Islands, we depend on the DRF having sufficient funds to address emergency declarations and disasters,” he said.
“In Puerto Rico’s case, we have the active disasters of Irma, Maria, earthquakes, COVID, Fiona, and rain events like the one that occurred last May. As in previous years, we request that Congress act, allocating sufficient funds to the DRF, so that FEMA resumes the process of approving obligations,” Laboy said.
He emphasized that COR3 will continue to assist municipalities, nonprofits and government entities to ensure that recovery, reconstruction and mitigation efforts benefit all of Puerto Rico.
As part of its readiness plan for the storm, FEMA urged Puerto Rico residents to prepare for potential extended power outages. The agency also announced that it has a distribution center in Caguas ready to mobilize supplies if needed and additional resources staged in St. Thomas, USVI. An Urban Search and Rescue Team and a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Temporary Power Team had already deployed to Puerto Rico.
President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico, authorizing federal assistance to supplement commonwealth and local response efforts due to Tropical Storm Ernesto.
