he Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced a final rule enabling host states that shelter residents evacuated from presidentially declared disaster areas to receive reimbursements from FEMA more quickly and efficiently.
‘Public Assistance Eligibility’ edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-27883.pdf (PDF; 93 KB) takes effect December 21, 2009, and finalizes the 2006 interim rule that first introduced the current process for federal assistance to host-states. A significant improvement to this rule allows for host-states to be directly reimbursed by FEMA for the base salary costs for state and local employees providing assistance as part of the host-state sheltering grant from FEMA. Previously, host-states had to be reimbursed for these straight-time costs via a mutual aid process. This applies when a host-state receives direct reimbursement from FEMA through a grant, pursuant to FEMA policy.
“Today’s announcement ensures that our national emergency response team is better equipped to assist partner states and the citizens we serve in times of emergencies or disasters,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “As we have learned in recent years, disaster response is a team effort, and the changes made by this rule will improve the ability of states outside a declared disaster area to provide quick support to the families and individuals who have been impacted. These efforts go a long way as we continue to build a stronger and more resilient national emergency response team.”
The final rule also improves the process by clarifying regulations and procedures established under the interim rule - including making key language more consistent and precise, better defining which entities are eligible for the reimbursement and addressing the responsibility of the non-federal cost-share portion of assistance.
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