Feds make $730 million in Emergency Relief funds available to 34 states

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is providing $729.4 million to 34 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to repair bridges and roads damaged by natural disasters, extreme weather and catastrophic events.

The funds come from the FHWA’s Emergency Relief (ER) program as the result of major disaster declarations. FHWA has distributed over $1.3 billion from the program since January 2022 to help states make repairs because of climate-related events, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a press release.

“As the climate crisis accelerates, more Americans are feeling the consequences in the form of extreme weather that devastates communities and destroys vital infrastructure,” Buttigieg said. “These funds will help restore critical transportation connections across the country as communities continue to repair and rebuild infrastructure damaged by extreme weather.”

Florida will receive more than $223 million for continued repairs to roads, bridges and infrastructure damaged by hurricanes Ian, Fiona and Nicole in 2022. Vermont will receive almost $38 million for repairs from severe storms and mudslides in 2023. Puerto Rico will receive almost $33 million after Hurricane Fiona in 2022 and storms and flooding in October of 2022.

Pennsylvania will receive $22 million to cover repairs to the Interstate 95 bridge in Philadelphia that collapsed in June. That bridge fell when a gasoline tanker truck crashed and exploded under the highway. The state previously received $3 million in ER funds to repair the bridge.

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