Four months after the passing of the Storm ErnestoUS President Joe Biden issued a statement “major disaster” for 26 affected towns.
The measure, reported this Wednesday by the executive director of the Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience (COR3, for its acronym in English), Manuel A. Laboy Rivera, allows municipalities, government agencies and non-profit entities to request financial assistance under the Public Assistance, and Hazard Mitigation Grant programs of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The declaration of major disasters does not include Individual Assistance, which is what would allow affected citizens to also claim financial aid.
“After collecting the information corresponding to the damage that occurred in the municipalities as a result of the heavy rains that caused flooding and landslides and damage to roads and bridges, among others, the Biden-Harris Administration accepted the request of Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi , which will allow funds to be allocated to finance recovery and reconstruction efforts due to Storm Ernesto. We thank the Government of the United States for the declaration that will give way to the formulation of projects that will restore the severely affected infrastructure,” explained Laboy Rivera in a press release.
The municipalities included in the Presidential Major Disaster Declaration are: Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Añasco, Barranquitas, Canóvanas, Ceiba, Coamo, Comerío, Corozal, Hormigueros, Jayuya, Las Marías, Loíza, Manatí, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayagüez, Naguabo, Orocovis, San Lorenzo, San Sebastián, Santa Isabel, Vega Alta, Vieques, Villalba and Yabucoa.
“Once this stage has been passed, the COR3 team will begin to work with each municipality, government agency and non-profit organizations within the municipalities covered by the declaration of Major Presidential Disaster, to guide them and begin processing applications for the Public Assistance Program. from FEMA,” the official said.
