By KEVIN DERBY Sunshine State News
Bay County after Michael
Bay County is getting $18.5 million in federal funds as Northwest Florida continues to recover from Hurricane Michael which slammed into the region back in October.
On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the federal government is sending the funds to Bay County as reimbursements for debris cleared in the 45 days after the hurricane hit.
“When I took office, I made a commitment to the people of Bay County that we would make sure they rebuild stronger than before,” said DeSantis. “Today, we are continuing to deliver on that commitment. I’m going to keep looking at every option available and every program at my disposal to make sure the state is doing everything possible for the people of Northwest Florida.”
The funds will be administered through the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM).
“In January, FDEM announced that, under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, the division was putting in place an expedited process to accelerate funding for Northwest Florida communities impacted by Hurricane Michael. Activating this process will get funds to affected communities more quickly by providing 50 percent of estimated project costs up front and requiring less initial review,” the governor’s office noted.
“At the Florida Division of Emergency Management, we are leaving no stone unturned as we work to get funding out as quickly as possible to Northwest Florida cities and counties impacted by Hurricane Michael,” said FDEM Director Jared Moskowitz. “Today’s announcement is yet another example of the progress we’re already making toward recovering from this storm under Governor DeSantis’ leadership.”
Back in January, President Donald Trump approved DeSantis’ request that the federal government will pay all the costs for the first 45 days of debris removals and emergency protective measures.
At the end of this week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recategorized Hurricane Michael, declaring it to have been a category 5 storm.