FEMA is providing more than $106 million for 51 Tennessee recovery and mitigation projects tied to Tropical Storm Helene and earlier disasters.
The package includes more than $92 million for 41 Public Assistance projects, $8.6 million for hazard mitigation and $5.1 million for state-managed programs responding to a severe winter storm earlier this year.
Public Assistance funding will reimburse debris removal, emergency protective measures and repairs to public facilities and critical infrastructure. The largest listed award is $69.9 million to the state for debris removal and protective work.
The Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative will receive $5.2 million for permanent repairs, while Mountain City will receive $3.8 million for permanent repairs to public utilities.
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program will support community safe rooms, generators and disaster-management costs. FEMA said the program is intended to help state, local and tribal governments reduce damage from future disasters.
Unlike the Public Assistance awards, which reimburse eligible recovery expenses, mitigation money is aimed at preventing or limiting losses in a future event. The Tennessee package therefore combines repairs from past disasters with investments in protective facilities and backup power.
The remaining $5.1 million supports programs managed by the state after the winter storm. That includes $4.8 million for crisis counseling and mental health support and $250,000 for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.
FEMA said the Tennessee funding is part of more than $2 billion announced for nearly 1,500 projects nationwide. The agency described the awards as support for both immediate recovery needs and longer-term resilience.
The crisis-counseling and unemployment awards address needs outside infrastructure repair. FEMA said those programs support individuals, families and communities affected by the winter storm, including people facing mental health effects or disaster-related job loss.
The federal assistance will move through state and local recovery programs as the listed infrastructure repairs, protective projects and individual-support services are carried out.
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