Public Assistance (PA) is FEMA’s largest grant program, providing funds to assist communities responding to and recovering from major disasters or emergencies declared by the President. The program provides emergency assistance to save lives and protect property and assists with permanently restoring community infrastructure affected by a federally declared incident such as the sever winter storm and flooding in Nebraska.
FEMA can reimburse eligible costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain private nonprofit organizations. The program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard-mitigation measures during the recovery process.
As of April 4, 65 counties are designated for Public Assistance: Adams, Antelope, Blaine, Boone, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Cedar, Cherry, Colfax, Cuming, Custer, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Frontier, Furnas, Gage, Garfield, Gosper, Greeley, Hall, Harlan, Holt, Howard, Jefferson, Johnson, Keya Paha, Knox, Lancaster, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, Madison, Merrick, Morrill, Nance, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Otoe, Pawnee, Pierce, Platte, Richardson, Rock, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Scotts Bluff, Seward, Sherman, Stanton, Thayer, Thurston, Valley, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler and York.
Five Tribal Nations are designated for Public Assistance: Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, Sac and Fox, Santee Sioux Nation and Winnebago Tribe.
The counties and Tribal Nations are eligible for reimbursement for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A and B), including direct assistance, at a federal cost share of at least 75 percent.
Nebraska Emergency Management Agency is conducting briefings for Public Assistance grant candidates. The briefings are for state businesses, counties, cities, sanitary enhancement districts, public energy districts, natural assets districts and other public entities that experienced injury from the March flooding. For more information, email nema.publicassistance@nebraska.gov.
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