HLS 11RS-2190 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2011
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 171
BY REPRESENTATIVE WHITE
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS: Urges and requests certain governmental entities to
assist Livingston Parish in the successful resolution of outstanding administrative
appeals filed with FEMA for reimbursement of costs associated with debris removal
in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the members of the Louisiana delegation to the United States Congress,2
the governor, and the director of the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland3
Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) to assist Livingston Parish in4
successfully resolving outstanding administrative appeals filed with the Federal5
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for reimbursement of costs incurred in6
association with debris removal in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.7
WHEREAS, in September 2008, Hurricane Gustav caused severe property damage8
in Livingston Parish leaving an insurmountable amount of debris in, and alongside, public9
roadsides and in the publicly maintained streams and canals throughout the parish; and10
WHEREAS, the debris posed an immediate to the lives and property of the citizens11
of Livingston Parish; and12
WHEREAS, officials with FEMA and GOHSEP urged government officials in13
Livingston Parish to treat the existence of this debris as a public emergency and to have this14
debris removed as quickly as possible; and15
WHEREAS, government officials in Livingston Parish informed FEMA and16
GOHSEP of the inability of the parish to pay the hefty price tag associate with the debris17
removal without receiving federal assistance to defray the cost; and 18
WHEREAS, those government officials received assurances that federal19
reimbursement would be forthcoming; and20 HLS 11RS-2190 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 171
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WHEREAS, in response to the urging of FEMA and GOHSEP, and relying upon 1
assurances provided regarding reimbursement, Livingston Parish hired contractors and2
incurred tens of millions of dollars in costs that it lacks the resources to pay; and3
WHEREAS, scores of Louisiana contractors, relying on full reimbursement from4
FEMA, utilized their resources to cleanup Livingston Parish; and5
WHEREAS, FEMA maintained monitors in the field to observe the debris removal6
undertaken by the parish and consistently assured the parish officials that the work7
performed would be eligible for reimbursement; and8
WHEREAS, to date, Livingston Parish has not been reimbursed for the majority of9
costs it incurred for debris removal, including those costs specifically identified by FEMA10
personnel, as being eligible for reimbursement; and11
WHEREAS, Livingston Parish government is currently pursuing two administrative12
appeals before FEMA seeking to obtain a total of approximately sixty-two million seven13
hundred sixty-one thousand eight hundred seventy-nine ($62,761,879) dollars in federal14
funding, as provided for in FEMA Project Worksheets Nos. 54v1, 05590, 05591, 05593, and15
05594; and16
WHEREAS, delays by FEMA in reimbursing Livingston Parish for the debris17
removal project has left Livingston Parish in a precarious financial position and left many18
Louisiana companies and individuals providing those services facing financial ruin.19
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby20
urge and request the members of the Louisiana delegation to the United States Congress, the21
governor, and the director of GOHSEP, to assist Livingston Parish in successfully resolving22
outstanding administrative appeals filed for reimbursement of costs incurred by the parish,23
and deemed eligible by FEMA, in association with debris removal in he aftermath of24
Hurricane Gustav.25
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to each26
member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States Congress, the governor of27
Louisiana, and the director of the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and28
Emergency Preparedness.29 HLS 11RS-2190 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 171
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DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
White HCR No. 171
Urges and requests certain governmental entities to assist Livingston Parish in successfully
resolving outstanding administrative appeals filed with FEMA for reimbursement costs
incurred in association with debris removal in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.