According to FEMA, recent obligations of funds have pushed the total of federal Public Assistance funding in Missouri for the 2019 floods to more than $23 million. Two federal disasters were declared throughout the state for the flooding of 2019 along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
The first declaration (DR-4435-MO), authorized on May 20, covered the period from March 11 to April 16. Sixteen counties were eventually declared eligible for assistance under the Public Assistance program. In the KMMO listening area that includes Carroll, Chariton and Ray counties.
The second declaration (DR-4451-MO), authorized July 9, eventually included 81 counties and the City of St. Louis as eligible for disaster funding under FEMA’s Public Assistance program.
Since then, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and local officials who have submitted flood-related repair projects, have worked together to identify damage, the cost of repairs, and compile the scope of work and required documentation.
To date, FEMA has obligated more than $23 million as the federal share of repair or reimbursement costs for 250 projects under the two declarations.
Under the first disaster declaration, 119 projects from 97 applicants in eight categories, including both emergency and permanent work, have been funded for more than $12.5 million ($12,569,829). Twenty projects in eight counties have been obligated for nearly $1.2 million for debris removal alone.
Under the second disaster declaration, 131 projects in seven categories of work have been funded for nearly $10.5 million. Fifty projects have been funded specifically for road and bridge repairs in 21 counties across the state from Atchison and Andrew to New Madrid and Mississippi. The federal share for these projects is nearly $3 million ($2,976,910).
Projects fall into one of eight categories, which are broadly grouped into two areas: Emergency Work (Categories A and B) and Permanent Work (C through G):

• Category A: Debris removal
• Category B: Emergency protective measures
• Category C: Roads and bridges
• Category D: Water control facilities
• Category E: Public buildings and contents
• Category F: Public utilities
• Category G: Parks, recreational, and other facilities
• Category Z: Management costs

The Public Assistance program offers supplemental financial assistance on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities in designated counties. The PA program encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by funding hazard mitigation measures. FEMA reimburses 75 percent of eligible costs. SEMA administers the Public Assistance program for the state of Missouri.