With multi-million dollar projects such as debris removal and boardwalk reconstruction already spent, the news that FEMA would likely reimburse local government more than planned was welcome news.
New Jersey's Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts could receive a boost with the announcement that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse communities at a rate of 90 percent for certain storm-related expenses, according to federal officials.
President Obama made additional disaster assistance available to New Jersey by authorizing an increase in the level of federal funding for public assistance projects, according to a White House press release.
Belmar Matt Doherty responded to the news with this statement to Patch:"This is great news for Belmar and everyone at the Jersey Shore. We have hoped for 90% reimbursement, but always budgeted for only 75%. Congressman Frank Pallone and Congressman Chris Smith have worked in a bipartisan way in DC and have delivered the 90% reimbursement for us. With all the work we have completed since Sandy, there is even more ahead of us with underground infrastructure and hazard mitigation projects. So this 90% reimbursement ensures that Belmar will not only fully recover from Sandy, but we will also be in a much better position for the next major storm event when it comes."
Belmar had budgeted that the projects would be reimbursed at a rate of 75 percent, and that the borough would be on the hook for 25 percent. But now Belmar may expect to pay 10 percent of the cost of its projects relating to Hurricane Sandy.
That would include Belmar's emergency staffing costs such as overtime, debris removal, sand sifting, boardwalk repair and drainage/pumping projects as a result of flooding, among others.
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