Public Help Added to Include 8 More Fla. Counties

Disaster assistance for Bay, Collier, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties has been made available to help local governments in Florida rebuild public property damaged by Hurricane Katrina, the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced.

The assistance was approved following a review of damage data gathered by federal, state and local disaster recovery officials. This expanded public assistance allows FEMA to provide state agencies, local governments and certain non-profit organizations in these counties with funds for qualified projects for debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster, and repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, buildings and utilities. FEMA pays 75 percent of the cost of projects and the state and/or applying agency is responsible for the remaining 25 percent.

In response to Katrina, Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties were authorized for Public Assistance for state and local governments under the major disaster declaration issued by President Bush on Aug. 28.