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Debris Management Plan Receives FEMA Approval
The City of Newport News Public Works Department’s Debris Management Plan has received FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) approval, a requirement for agencies to participate in the Public Assistance (PA) Pilot Program.
| Debris Management Plan Receives FEMA Approval Newport News Eligible for 5% Increase in Federal Funds |
The City of Newport News Public Works Department’s Debris Management Plan has received FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) approval, a requirement for agencies to participate in the Public Assistance (PA) Pilot Program. In 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act directed FEMA to conduct the Public Assistance Pilot Program. The program was implemented June 1, 2007. It applies to disaster-related debris removal and repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities. Under the PA Pilot Program, citizens would be paying less in local tax dollars for disaster recovery. The exact amount of savings will vary, based on the extent of damage caused by a future disaster. |
| Participation in this program is strictly voluntary for state and local governments. There are three goals for the PA Pilot Program: to reduce the costs to the Federal Government of providing assistance to State and local governments, to increase flexibility in grant administration, and to expedite the provision of assistance to State and local governments. In addition, there are four principal advantages of the PA Pilot Program: |
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| Public Works Department staff attended several Debris Management Plan workshops conducted by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) in 2007 and this year, to stay current on any changes in requirements. The original Debris Management Plan implemented in 1997 required revising to meet today’s requirements for FEMA approval. The City of Newport News Public Works plan was the fourth plan to be approved in the State of Virginia. The other three localities with approved plans are City of Chesapeake, Hanover County and Fairfax County. |
