GOVERNOR LINGLE ANNOUNCES $31 MILLION FEMA FUNDS FOR UH FLOOD RELIEF
For Immediate Release, March 30, 2005
HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today announced that the University of Hawai`i expects to receive $31 million of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) public assistance funding to offset damages sustained in the October 30, 2004 flood at the Manoa campus.
The amount reflects the federal share estimate of public assistance funding that the University would qualify for pursuant to the Presidential disaster declaration. The federal assistance will be used to pay for part of the cleanup and repairs on the Manoa campus, where flooding damaged 32 facilities.
Governor Lingle made the request for a Presidential disaster declaration on Dec. 30, 2004, and followed up with phone calls to the Bush Administration and FEMA officials. President Bush approved the disaster declaration on February 1, 2005. FEMA officials arrived in Hawai`i in early February to begin their detailed damage assessments.
“I would like to express my appreciation to the FEMA officials who have been working diligently and expeditiously with University of Hawai`i and other state agencies to complete their assessments,” said Governor Lingle. “Because of their efforts we can be assured that the necessary resources will be made available to bring the Manoa campus back to normal as quickly as possible.”
Hawai`i State Civil Defense will administer FEMA’s Public Assistance program that provides grants on a 75 to 25 percent cost-sharing basis – $31 million from FEMA and $10 million from the University of Hawai`i. The University’s share will be funded by general obligation bonds and general funds. Federal guidelines for public assistance funding will require the State to increase its insurance coverage for impacted buildings. The cost of additional insurance may increase from $350,000 to $650,000 annually.
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For more information, contact:
Ed Teixeira
Vice Director, State Civil Defense
Phone: 733-4300
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: 586-7708
Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: 586-0043
