Friday, July 30, 2021

OIG Report: nadequate FEMA Oversight Delayed Completion and Closeout of Louisiana's Public Assistance Projects. July 2021

 

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Inadequate FEMA Oversight Delayed Completion and Closeout of Louisiana's Public Assistance Projects

FEMA did not ensure Louisiana adequately managed and provided oversight of PA grants to make certain the State complied with Federal regulations. Specifically, Louisiana had a backlog of 600 incomplete projects beyond their approved completion dates. We attribute this to the State not conducting regular site visits to assess subrecipients’ ongoing projects and identify and resolve issues as they arose that would have helped ensure prompt project completion. In addition, FEMA had a backlog of 2,150 completed grant projects it had not closed out due to inadequate oversight of its Region 6 staff to ensure they promptly carried out this responsibility.

As of the fourth quarter of 2018, the combined backlog of 2,750 grant projects represented nearly $6.6 billion in obligated funds. By May 2020, FEMA had reduced the backlog, but the significant number of remaining projects potentially could lead to delays in reimbursing applicants, as well as deobligating funds that could be put to better use. Multiple hurricanes in 2020, along with the pandemic, make it especially critical for FEMA to reduce the backlog, thereby ensuring timely assistance to disaster survivors and prudent use of taxpayer dollars.

Read Report No. OIG-21-50

 

 


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