Lautenberg, Menendez Announce More Than $21 Million In Funding For Homes Damaged By Hurricane Irene

Washington - U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will provide morethan $21 million through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for flood mitigation projects in New Jersey.

The funding will be used to elevate homes and for voluntary buyouts of qualifying homes that have suffered flood damage as a result of Hurricane Irene and other storms. This federal funding will be supported by a $7 million match from state andlocal governments, bringing a total of more than $28 million to directly assist New Jersey families in the state's hardest hit communities.

"This funding will help bring relief to the New Jersey families that are most severely affected by flood damage when storms hit,"said Senator Lautenberg, Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, which funds this FEMA program."As we work on long-term flood solutions, these federal funds will prevent damage to the most flood-prone residents and create needed open space. We will continue to fight for federal funds for disaster relief programs to help protect New Jerseyans from future floods."

"This funding will help ensure that New Jersey homeowners who are vulnerable to floods have the tools they need to prepare for future disasters.It's not only cost effective to prepare for floods on the front end, rather than do damage control after, but it can save lives and preventable hardships. I'll continue to work to secure funding to protect New Jersey's flood-prone homes,"said Senator Menendez.

FEMAwillprovide flood mitigation funding for the following projects:

· $3.1 million to elevate homes in Cranford Township;

· $4.3 million for voluntary home buyouts in Paterson;

· $2.2 million for voluntary home buyouts in Pompton Lake;

· $2 million for voluntary home buyouts and home elevations in Denville;

· $1.2 million for voluntary home buyouts in New Milford;

· $7.2 million for voluntary home buyouts and home elevations in Parsippany-Troy Hills;and

· $1.5 million for voluntary home buyouts in Westwood.

On September 16, 2011, theSenators announced$35 million in federal funding through FEMA's Severe Repetitive Loss Program to elevate and buyout homes throughout New Jersey.

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