In the state of Georgia, Augusta’s storm cleanup efforts have made significant progress over four months, but completing the work quickly has become increasingly urgent for the city’s finances.

“We’ve been working every day to clear this debris. Fortunately, FEMA initially extended our deadline from 90 to 120 days,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Wayne Guilfoyle.

Though the 120-day deadline for full federal reimbursement has now passed, the cleanup work continues to mount. Georgia Governor Kemp’s request to FEMA for an additional 60-day extension was rejected.

Commissioner Jordan Johnson expressed frustration with the decision: “The administration’s denial of this request is absolutely ridiculous. Augusta has already spent millions recovering from Hurricane Helene, and we still have substantial work and expenses ahead.”

The city has already invested over $40 million in storm cleanup, which was fully reimbursable under the original agreement. Moving forward, however, Augusta will need to cover 12 percent of all cleanup costs, with no clear funding source identified.

“We need to have an open discussion about our current situation and understand exactly what percentage of reimbursement we can secure so we can determine our available resources,” Johnson stated.

City Administrator Tameka Allen added, “I’m prepared to have that conversation. We have some serious considerations ahead of us.”

While the state can appeal FEMA’s decision, Augusta currently faces several more weeks of cleanup operations that have been costing $300,000 daily. Without full federal reimbursement, a portion of these expenses will now fall to local taxpayers.

What About the State of Florida?

Fortunately, FEMA extended Florida’s post-hurricane cleanup deadline from 90 to 120 days. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, municipalities across the state have meticulously documented their debris collection efforts according to FEMA protocols to secure their reimbursement funding.

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(Image credit: WJBF)