FEMA sends $576,000 to Marshall County

Marshall County will receive more than a half-million dollars in federal disaster aid to help cover the costs of clearing debris left in the wake of severe storms, federal officials have announced.

The $576,000 award is part of a broader package exceeding $13 million approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for 10 disaster recovery and mitigation projects across Mississippi.

The bulk of the money will repay local governments and state agencies for emergency protective measures, infrastructure repairs and debris cleanup.

Across northern Mississippi, local road crews and municipal teams spent weeks hauling tangled timber and storm refuse from public rights of way. Corinth will receive $1.4 million and Burnsville will receive $488,000 to offset their debris removal expenses.

The state of Mississippi will receive the largest share of the funding — $9.7 million — to reimburse disaster management costs incurred after a severe winter storm.

FEMA’s Public Assistance program generally reimburses local governments for at least 75 percent of eligible emergency work costs.

In addition to public assistance grants, the agency authorized $150,000 under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. State officials plan to use those funds to subsidize the construction of residential safe rooms and cover disaster administration expenses aimed at reducing damage from future severe weather.