EDA And Disaster Recovery

Disaster Success Stories

EDA assist communities recovering from disasters

EDA Disaster Funding

Recovery Funding for 2017-2019 Disasters

CEDS-HMP Alignment Guide: Download the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and Hazard Mitigation Plan Alignment Guide. (PDF)

Please see here for FEMA assistance for the Kentucky flooding.

US Census data to assist disaster recovery from Southern and Midwestern Tornadoes and other recent disasters

WHERE WE WORK

Kentucky

EDA held a webinar series in July and August 2022 to help Western KY businesses and communities recover from the December tornadoes. [Read more]

Louisiana

EDA was activated for a 5-month mission to lead economic recovery support in Louisiana, following Hurricane Ida – a Category 4 storm which hit Louisiana on August 29, the anniversary of the day Hurricane Katrina made landfall. The most impacted parishes are in Southeastern LA. EDA will serve from 10/18/21-3/20/22.

2 men in a boat - Response and Recovery Efforts Continue After Hurricane Sally | FEMA.gov

Hurricanes Laura and Delta hit Louisiana with record-breaking strength during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, making for a uniquely challenging mission. [Read more]

Puerto Rico/US Virgin Islands

“EDA has been active in PR and the USVI since late 2017/early 2018, after the landfall of 2 catastrophic hurricanes, which crippled the Island to an unprecedented level of devastation, making it the nation’s most logistically complex response in FEMA history. Thus far, EDA has invested over $134M in 31 projects in Puerto Rico and over $60M in 11 projects in the US Virgin Islands to advance their economic recovery. [Read more]

satellite photo of hurricane

June 29, 2022- Deputy Assistance Secretary and Chief Operating Officer Dennis Alvord celebrated the grand opening of the University of the Virgin Islands Medical Simulation Center. The Center was made possible through a $14.1 million EDA disaster relief and recovery grant in 2019. [Read more]

Later this year, EDA will officially certify and recognize the Southern Puerto Rico Economic Development District (SPREDD), Puerto Rico’s first regional EDD. It will focus on helping small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs develop a favorable business climate for the island’s southern region. [Read more]

April 2022, Deputy Secretary Don Graves, Assistant Secretary Alejandra Castillo, and EDA Regional Director Linda Cruz Carnall visited Puerto Rico to meet with EDA grantees, Governors’ Pierluisi and key stakeholders to discuss challenges and recommendations for economic growth on the island and how the federal government and Puerto Rico can continue to work together to advance a shared economic development agenda. [Read more]

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California

EDA invested in a green infrastructure project in San Diego to reduce flooding to commercial enterprises and airport access routes. The project includes innovative upstream improvements to reduce runoff and debris deposited into the city’s stormwater infrastructure, while enhancing passive outdoor recreation and economic development opportunities for the region. [Read more]

To facilitate Butte County’s recovery from the 2018 Camp Wildfire, EDA partnered with 3CORE, a local Economic Development District. [Read more]

Missouri and Nebraska

In 2019 EDA was deployed in Missouri (10/8/19-3/16/20) and Nebraska (6/15/19-8/15/19) to help communities recover from severe flooding. Read about EDA’s work in Missouri to support businesses and communities in their time of need.

EDA invested $4.8 million in grant funding enabling the city of Moberly, MO improve water infrastructure. Businesses in downtown Moberly were previously struggling with recurring flooding, which discouraged investment. [Read more]

Texas

EDA facilitated a series of workshops to help 8 coastal Texas regions recover from Hurricane Harvey in 2018. [Read more]

Florida

Working in collaboration with economic development organizations and federal partners, EDA helped to organize seven Economic Recovery and Resiliency workshops in February 2018 to help the hard-hit Hurricane Irma communities. Read about the workshops here (PDF). Please also read a US Department of Housing and Urban Development article about the workshops.

EDA has a long history of successfully supporting disaster recovery and resiliency efforts (PDF). EDA's role in disaster recovery is to facilitate the timely and effective delivery of Federal economic development assistance to support long-term community economic recovery planning and project implementation, redevelopment and resilience. EDA is uniquely positioned to coordinate federal support for regional disaster recovery efforts in partnership with its extensive network of Economic Development Districts (EDDs), University Centers, and other stakeholders in designated impact areas.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY SUPPORT FUNCTION (ERSF)

Executed in March 2011, Presidential Policy Directive (PPD)-8: National Preparedness directs all federal government departments and agencies to collaboratively design and implement “a systematic effort to keep the nation safe from harm and resilient when struck by hazards, such as natural disasters, acts of terrorism and pandemics.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) established the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) to facilitate coordinated interagency capacities across all disaster-related mission areas: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. The NDRF established a total of six Recovery Support Functions (RSF) to facilitate interagency and inter-governmental “problem solving, improve access to resources, and foster coordination among State and Federal agencies, nongovernmental partners and stakeholders.

EDA serves as the Coordinating Agency for the Economic Recovery Support Function (ERSF) (PDF) on behalf of the Department of Commerce (DOC). In this capacity, EDA provides leadership, coordination and oversight for primary and support agencies, all of which share a role in the provision of grants, loans, training and other forms of assistance to support economic recovery efforts in disaster-impacted communities and regions. To assist interagency coordination, EDA established an Economic Recovery Working Group (PDF) of federal partners.

Post-Disaster Economic Recovery Resources

The post-disaster economic recovery environment can be exceptionally challenging. EDA has captured the following resources that may be useful for disaster recovery managers both in preparation for and in response to catastrophic disaster scenarios.