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BATON ROUGE — Last night, Gov. John Bel Edwards received notice that Pres. Joseph R. Biden has approved his request for an additional 15 days at 100 percent federal funding for Public Assistance Category A, Debris Removal, and Category B, Emergency Protective Measures for both Hurricanes Ida and Laura. In addition, Pres. Biden increased the overall federal cost share to 90 percent for FEMA Public Assistance funding for Hurricane Ida.

“I am grateful to Pres. Biden and his administration for approval of this cost share adjustment that will continue to provide much needed assistance in the many areas of our state that have been devastated by both of these major storms,” said Gov. Edwards. “It is a meaningful and important step to help communities across our state recover as much work remains to be done. Thousands of Louisianans have been deeply impacted by Hurricanes Ida this year and Laura last year, and it will take local, state and federal partners working together to help our communities rebuild stronger.”

Both Hurricane Ida and Laura made landfall as destructive Category 4 storms. Ida struck Louisiana on August 29, 2021 and Hurricane Laura made landfall on August 27, 2020.  Both storms are among the strongest to ever hit Louisiana with damaging winds, flooding and strong storm surge damaging and destroying thousands of homes and businesses.