Four years after spring flooding in Galena, the city will receive more than $2.7 million in federal funding.
The announcement came late last month, on May 25th, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
The City of Galena has been making permanent repairs to damaged water and sewer lines after the spring flood that occurred between May 17 and June 25, 2013.
The total for those repairs is $3,656,200. A FEMA grant will reimburse 75% of the total project, with the State of Alaska Disaster Relief Fund covering the remaining cost.
Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Mike O’Hare, in a release, states the disaster recovery funds are just one piece of support after the damage from the 2013 flood. He lists the partnership of community members, AmeriCorps, non-government organizations, and other state and federal programs as to why the recovery efforts were “successful.”
Acting Regional Administrator for FEMA Sharon Loper states that these type of grants will not only help communities recover, but also “be more resilient against future disasters.”
Photo above: an overview of Galena, Alaska, May 28, 2013. The community flooded after the Yukon River overflowed during spring breakup. Photo: Sgt. Edward Eagerton, Alaska National Guard; public domain.
