Bay County in Florida will receive the final version of its $6.9-billion action plan for Hurricane Michael recovery this week, says a news report.
At a meeting at the Bay County government center, the Bay County Long-Term Recovery Task Force is set to approve the final report and the added appendix that addresses the congressional aid that President Trump signed into law on June 6. Of the $19.1 billion set for various natural disasters nationwide in 2018, $13 billion will be assigned to 24 different assistance programs for areas devastated by Hurricane Michael and other storms. The funds will be distributed to states and counties during the 2020 federal fiscal year, beginning on October 1.
The scope of recovery projects and proposals in the Task Force report reflects the destruction of Hurricane Michael. The costs from storm damage and debris removal exceeded $1.7 billion for Bay County and its seven cities and just more than $3 billion in devastation to Tyndall Air Force Base.
The Task Force identified “action items” totaling $6.9 billion over a 5-to-7-year recovery effort, Gary Yates, a senior partner at the county’s consulting firm, The Integrity Group said. The action plan calls for:
- $2.73 billion for affordable housing redevelopment throughout the county
- $756 million in new transportation initiatives
- $598 million for economic redevelopment programs
- $385 million for various health care facilities and service improvements
- $320 million for drinking water and wastewater programs
- $244 million for stormwater initiatives
- $188 million for environmental protection measures
- $150 million for public facility construction and hardening
- $148 million for public safety improvements
- $110 million for Port Panama City expansion
- $101 million for parks, trails and greenspace improvements
