Nov 13, 2009
Governor Jindal Awards Over $587,000 in Grants to Sabine Parish

MANY – Today, Governor Bobby Jindal awarded ten grants totaling $587,855 to Sabine Parish that will go towards hurricane recovery efforts, hazard mitigation and infrastructure improvements. Governor Jindal awarded the funds to local officials in a ceremonial check presentation during an address to the Sabine Parish Chamber of Commerce as part of his “Louisiana Working Tour.”

The ten grants awarded include a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) totaling $150,000, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding totaling $150,000, a $151,000 Community Water Enrichment Fund (CWEF) grant and seven Local Government Assistance Program (LGAP) grants totaling $136,855.

Governor Jindal said, “After Gustav and Ike devastated so many communities last year we vowed to do everything in power to speed up the recovery process. That’s why we rejected the creation of another one-size-fits-all program in Baton Rouge and cut through the red tape by distributing these recovery funds directly to parishes so folks on the ground could have the flexibility to make their own decisions about how to rebuild and get ready for future storms.”

Upon awarding the LGAP and CWEF funds Governor Jindal said, “These funds are awarded through a competitive process and they provide rural communities with the ability to upgrade and maintain critical infrastructure systems.”

Community Development Block Grant
The Governor said Sabine Parish received $150,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to aid the recovery efforts from hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which caused widespread housing and infrastructure damage last year.

Damage levels were determined for each parish based on HUD analysis of FEMA damage assessments. To use federal CDBG funds, states must present action plans for federal approval. HUD already approved Louisiana's first action plan for using these funds.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Governor Jindal said the parish received $150,000 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding to support local hazard mitigation projects to protect Sabine from future damage following Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Unlike HMGP funds given to Louisiana after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, this HMGP funding comes with a requirement for local and state governments to pay matching costs, meaning the federal government pays 75 percent of the costs, with local or state government required to pay for 25 percent of the cost of the projects. Louisiana has repeatedly requested that federal government waive or lower the state and local match requirement, given the scope of the destruction wrought by four storms in three years.

CWEF Funding
Governor Jindal awarded a $151,000 grant to the Village of Noble that will be used to construct a new water well for the Noble Water System.

The Community Water Enrichment Fund was established in the 2008 Louisiana regular legislative session to ensure safe and clean drinking water. The CWEF aids units of local government solely for the purpose of rehabilitation, improvement, and construction projects for community water systems.

LGAP Funding
Governor Jindal awarded the following seven LGAP grants totaling $136,855:

• The Village of Converse received a $25,000 grant to make renovations to lift-stations within the sewer system.
• The Village of Fisher received an $8,200 grant to make renovations to the Village Hall.
• The Village of Florien received a $5,250 grant to extend sewer services to homes within the village.
• The Town of Many received a $23,405 grant to purchase recreational equipment for a public park.
• The Village of Pleasant Hill received a $20,000 grant to make renovations to the Town Hall and to construct a building to store the village’s emergency power generator.
• The Sabine Parish Police Jury received a $30,000 grant to improve roads within the parish.
• The Sabine Parish Police Jury received a $25,000 grant that will be used to purchase equipment for the community of Ebarb.

LGAP is managed by the Office of Community Development through Division of Administration and provides funding to local governments for a variety of needed infrastructure projects and long-term capital improvements in rural areas. The program is designed to fill the gaps where there are no federal or other state funds available to assist local governments with their high priority needs. Priority is given to those projects which identify and resolve basic human health, safety needs or quality of life concerns of citizens.

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