NJ Communities Impacted by Sandy Get More Federal Dollars

More help is on the way for areas hard-hit by Sandy six months ago.

New Jersey U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez today announced almost $9.4 million in federal funding to reimburse Garden State communities for their response and recovery work following the Superstorm.

“This federal aid will help pay for emergency actions taken in the immediate aftermath of the storm, as well as ongoing repairs that are rebuilding our state stronger than ever before,”  said Senator Lautenberg, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, which funds FEMA.

Senator Menendez added “with the start of the summer tourist season a few short weeks away, this federal funding is critical - there are still many challenges to face on the road to full recovery. I will continue fighting for the federal resources we need to help all New Jersey communities rebuild even better and stronger than before the storm.”

The funding, distributed through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, is being provided to Middlesex County, Monmouth County and Monmouth County Public Works Department, Seaside Heights, and Woodbridge Township.

Specifically, there will be five grants handed out:

• $1,257,465 to Middlesex County for repair of the boardwalk at Old Bridge Waterfront Park.

• $3,714,294 to Monmouth County Public Works for the department's pre-Sandy efforts to protect against flooding, and its post-storm response work of clearing blocked roads, setting up evacuation routes and detours, and blocking hazardous areas.

• $1,291,688 to Monmouth County for the Sheriff's Department efforts to provide security at shelters, conduct welfare checks, perform search and rescue operations, and operate 911 call centers following Superstorm Sandy.

• $1,390,633 to Seaside Heights for search and rescue operations, sheltering operations, operating an emergency mobile kitchen that provided more than 300 meals per day, and providing round-the-clock police protection for homes and businesses destroyed or damaged as a result of Superstorm Sandy.

• $1,734,561 to the Township of Woodbridge for the Township's massive debris clean-up following Superstorm Sandy.

Public Assistance grants are awarded by FEMA on a rolling basis after receiving applications from the state, which coordinates the process with local governments.