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FEMA reduces CNMI’s matching requirement for typhoon funds
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Posted on Feb 24 2005
The CNMI will save some $2.5 million in public funds following the Federal Management Emergency Agency’s decision to reduce the Commonwealth’s funding share from 25 to 10 percent of costs incurred due to typhoons Tingting and Chaba.
Gov. Juan N. Babauta, in a press briefing yesterday, said that as a result of the waiver, the CNMI would only need to shell out $1.6 million instead of $4 million.
“This is really a great relief. It’s a big savings for the CNMI,” said Babauta.
He said FEMA acting regional director Karen Armes confirmed the sharing reduction yesterday.
Governor’s authorized representative Vicky Villagomez said the favorable action came five months after the CNMI submitted the request for the reduction.
She said the administration would have to ask the Legislature to appropriate the needed funding ($1.6 million) to meet the FEMA cost-share requirement.
“There’s no available funds for it right now so we’d have to go to the Legislature to get authorization,” said Villagomez.
She said the CNMI’s total costs incurred due to the typhoons reached $36 million.
For public assistance, individual assistance, and hazard mitigation grant programs, total costs reached $17 million.
Records show that Individual Assistance Grant for Chaba totaled $5.4 million while total Public Assistance Program grant for both typhoons reached $9.7 million.
Hazard mitigation grant program reached $2.2 million.
Total costs incurred for the three grant programs for Chaba, which devastated the CNMI in August last year, reached $14.7 million.
For Tingting, which hit the CNMI in June 2004, the amount was $2.5 million.
Individual Assistance includes individual and household programs, direct federal assistance, and group flood insurance program.
Public Assistance program refers to debris removal, protective measures, road and bridges, water control facilities, public buildings, public utilities, recreational, and fire management.
Villagomez said the CNMI saved $809,000 for Individual Assistance, $1.4 million for Public Assistance, and $257,000 for the hazard mitigation grant program.
