Press Release Provided by California Dept. of Water Resources
On February 1st the Department of Water Resources (DWR) received notification that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released an additional $308 million in requested funds for the Oroville Dam spillways reconstruction and emergency response. These funds are in addition to the $260 million that FEMA has already committed to for repairs to the lower portion of the main spillway and other work conducted in response to the emergency.
The $308 million in additional funding was initially rejected by FEMA but was subsequently approved last year following appeal from DWR.
“We appreciate the continued hard work of our partners at FEMA and the California Office of Emergency Services, as well as our representatives in Congress, to ensure California received these funds,” said Ted Craddock, DWR Deputy Director of the State Water Project.
DWR continues to work with Cal OES and FEMA to secure additional reimbursement funds for work on the emergency spillway.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses applicants up to 75 percent of eligible costs associated with a federally declared disaster.
In total, DWR expects to be reimbursed for $630 million of the $1.2 billion cost of the spillways incident through the public assistance program.
