Monday, November 20, 2017

Duplication of efforts. DHS OIG Issues Warning to FEMA Regarding Duplicate Public Assistance Funding

Were recovery efforts from previous disasters before 2017 started or completed?

How and what were the funds utilized for?

News from the Department of Homeland Security OIG
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Friday, November 17, 2017

DHS OIG Issues Warning to FEMA Regarding Duplicate Public Assistance Funding

Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has issued an alert to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding the potential challenges the agency faces in providing duplicate Public Assistance grant funds to state, territorial, tribal and local governments for facilities that may have sustained damages from back-to-back disasters.

The after-effects of hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria resulted in multiple disaster declarations and billions of dollars in damages to areas within several Gulf Coast and Southeast states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. DHS OIG noted many of the same designated disaster areas in previous disaster incidents during 2016 and early 2017. During its review, the OIG found a total of 13 major disaster declarations for areas in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas that overlapped some of the same areas affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. As of November 2017, FEMA has obligated an estimated $310.3 million of Public Assistance funding to cover permanent repair or replacement costs to facilities damaged under the 13 previous disaster declarations.

READ PRESS RELEASE

**********************************

Read Report: Management Alert - Concerns with Potential Duplicate or Ineligible FEMA Public Assistance Funding for Facilities Damaged by Back-to-Back Disasters, OIG-18-14

Office of Public Affairs
E: dhs-oig.officepublicaffairs@oig.dhs.gov

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL l DHS
WWW.OIG.DHS.GOV l TWITTER: @DHSOIG