Press Releases

CONGRESSWOMAN STACEY PLASKETT ANNOUNCES GRANT WORTH OVER $7 MILLION FROM FEMA FOR THE ST. JOHN RESIDENTIAL WIND RETROFIT

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI), a Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released the following statement regarding a $7 million grant from FEMA to go towards the St. John Residential Wind Retrofit:

“Today, I am pleased to announce an important grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The grant is for $7,030,000.00 in federal funding to the St. John Residential Wind Retrofit.  This grant money will insure that the Virgin Islands will be able to save lives, protect public health and safety, and prevent damage to public and private property before, during, and after a disaster occurs. Every year, homes along the coast are subject to high winds that cause extensive damage and threaten the safety and security of coastal residents. Much of this wind-related damage can be reduced or prevented by improving the performance of the buildings through retrofits that strengthen the building’s envelope (the shell of the house, including the doors, roof covering, windows, and walls), the adequacy of the home’s load path (the connections of each part of the structure, from roof to foundation), and their ability to transfer loads without failing.

“This important grant will benefit the Virgin Islands tremendously with our ongoing rebuilding efforts making the Virgin Islands whole again after experiencing two devastating hurricanes. The United States government and the international community has an obligation to work with the affected local governments to restore infrastructure, provide critical humanitarian assistance, and help recover and build back our islands.”