The Federal Emergency Management Agency has agreed to New Orleans' request for an extension to spend money from the Joint Infrastructure Recovery Request program.
The city now has until June 2028 to complete the repairs the money is intended for.
"Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina, we are still dealing with the aftermath of the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history," said Congressman Troy Carter. "While Louisiana has closed out 99 percent of Katrina recovery projects, the scope and technical complexity of the few remaining projects require additional time to complete responsibly and in compliance with federal requirements."
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno told WWL's Newell Normand this week that without this extension, projects still underway would be left uncompleted, and the city would be stuck with a $500 million bill.
"This extension is critically important for the people of New Orleans because it gives us the ability to complete transformative infrastructure projects that are already underway and continue delivering long-overdue improvements to our residents," said Moreno. "An enormous amount of work went into securing this extension, and I am incredibly proud of our team for their relentless advocacy and coordination to help make this happen."
