Louisiana Gov.: $176M Now Available from FEMA for Laura, Delta Aid

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Louisiana parishes recovering from two hurricanes that struck last year are now in line to get a total of more than $176 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Gov. John Bel Edwards said.

Edwards discussed the funding at a livestreamed news conference in Baton Rouge with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. The total includes $136 million in newly approved funding, added to $40 million approved earlier.

Twenty-five parishes around Louisiana are in line for some of the money as a result of hurricanes Laura and Delta. The bulk of it, more than $144 million, will go to southwest Louisiana parishes, where the storms came ashore and did most of their damage. Edwards said $112.6 million is available for hard-hit Calcasieu Parish; $9.5 million, for Cameron Parish; $13.5 million for Beauregard; $6.2 million for Jefferson Davis and $2.6 million for Allen.

One caution for those parish governments: Edwards said a 25% local match is required. He said that will be “very challenging” for some of the local governments, but added that he is working with congressional leaders and the White House to find ways to help those governments obtain the matching money.

“We’re going to continue that process of trying to find solutions to continue to help with the recovery that’s going on here,” Crisswell said later.

Other parishes for which FEMA mitigation money will be available for the two hurricanes include Acadia, Caddo, Claiborne, Grant, Iberia, Jackson, Lafayette, LaSalle, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Sabine, St. Landry, St. Martin, Union, Vermilion, Vernon and Winn.

The news conference was held June 17 as Louisiana officials eyed a broad, developing low-pressure system in the Bay of Campeche that was expected to move northward toward the state — possibly developing into a tropical depression.