FEMA Should Recover $951,221 of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to Palm Beach County, Florida – Hurricane Jeanne

Our audit objective was to determine whether the County accounted for and expended Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The County received a Public Assistance grant award totaling $47.9 million from the florida Division of Emergency Management (State), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Jeanne, which occurred in September 2004. The award provided 100 percent FEMA funding for the first 72 hours of emergency protective measures and debris removal activities, and 90 percent funding thereafter for these two activities. The award also provided 90 percent FEMA funding for permanent repairs to buildings, roads, and recreational facilities. The award consisted of 63 large projects and 173 small projects.