FEMA PA APPEAL SHORT SUMMARY & LINKS TO FEMA PA APPEAL WEBSITE

This is in response to a letter from your office dated July 15, 2015, which transmitted the referenced second appeal on behalf of Chambers County (Applicant). The Applicant is appealing the U. S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) deobligation of $8,651,914.07 in costs associated with debris removal following Hurricane Ike. As explained in the enclosed analysis, I have determined that the Applicant has not demonstrated that commuting costs, overtime costs, tipping fees, training costs and other labor costs are reasonable. Further, the Applicant failed to comply with federal procurement laws and did not satisfy FEMA’s post-award grant conditions. Therefore, Section 705(c) of the Stafford Act does not prohibit FEMA from deobligating funding. Accordingly, I am denying the appeal. Please inform the Applicant of my decision. This determination is the final decision on this matter pursuant to 44 C.F.R. § 206.206, Appeals.