Bilirakis Helps Secure Additional Flexibility for Local Governments Removing Hurricane Debris

Washinton, DC: Earlier this month, U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis spearheaded a letterto President Biden asking FEMA to provide as much flexibility as possible to hardest hit communities in Florida that would enable expedited debris removal by local governments. At the time, Bilirakis noted, "As you drive through our community, you can't miss the piles of debris and trash that have been rotting along roadways and in driveways for weeks. Local governments have done their best to remove the debris as quickly as they are able under current guidelines, but we need to remove those restrictions so that we can get these obstructive hazards cleaned up. I will keep pushing federal agencies to be as flexible as possible so that we can focus on rebuilding and supporting those who are suffering."

In response to the letter authored by Bilirakis and other Members of Florida's Congressional Delegation, FEMA has just issued technical guidance to local governments and provided a waiver of FEMA debris removal rules for specific counties most impacted by both Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The 31 hardest hit counties include: Pasco, Hernando and Citrus. These FEMA rule waivers will enable local governments to expedite removal of hurricane debris and aid in the recovery process. Specifically, the waiver of rules include the following flexibilities:

• One pass to remove incident-related commercial debris placed on the public Right of Way (ROW). This does not require pre-approval from FEMA.
• Removal and disposal of debris on private roads during the initial pass to ensure emergency access.
• Removal of commercial and private property debris placed on the ROW for private roads, including in gated communities (e.g., roads behind locks, gates, or guards) and private roads that are unrestricted but rarely used by the public or gated communities, and
• Increasing the percentage of reimbursement for vegetative debris that is hand-loaded into trucks or trailers or that is loaded into trucks without solid tailgates.

Additionally, FEMA usually covers 75% of eligible debris removal costs, while the state or local government covers the remaining 25%. However, in Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helen's hardest-hit counties, reimbursement for debris removal through FEMA's Public Assistance program is 100% for a 90-day timeline.