FEMA Grants Full Public Assistance to Lafayette and 17 Mississippi Counties

Federal and state officials have added Lafayette County to a list of 18 Mississippi counties now eligible for all categories of FEMA Public Assistance after the January Winter Storm Fern, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency announced Feb. 18. Lafayette County has been among the hardest hit locally; Beau Moore, public information officer for Lafayette County Emergency Management, said roughly 95% of the county lost power during the ice storm and crews had collected 90,000 cubic yards of debris as of Feb. 10.

MSEMA’s Feb. 18 release invoked FEMA’s Public Assistance program to describe the next steps for local recovery, noting that "FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses local and state government agencies for the costs of emergency response, debris removal and restoration of disaster-damaged public facilities and infrastructure. Certain nonprofit organizations and houses of worship may also be eligible for assistance." The designation makes local governments and certain nonprofit organizations eligible to apply for grants to support debris removal and permanent repairs to public facilities.

The 18 newly eligible counties are Adams; Attala; Benton; Claiborne; Jefferson; Lafayette; Lee; Marshall; Panola; Pontotoc; Prentiss; Quitman; Tallahatchie; Tate; Tippah; Tishomingo; Union; and Yalobusha. These counties join a prior set of jurisdictions and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians that already had all categories of Public Assistance, including Alcorn; Bolivar; Calhoun; Carroll; Grenada; Holmes; Humphreys; Issaquena; Leflore; Montgomery; Sharkey; Sunflower; Warren; Washington; Webster; and Yazoo.

Federal officials signaled an uncommon funding approach tied to the storm’s severity. FEMA said in a Jan. 30 news release that “Public assistance is traditionally provided on a reimbursement basis after costs are incurred and documented.” FEMA added, “This time, because the storm was so serious, FEMA is sending the money upfront so Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana can act quickly.”

Lafayette County officials pressed the case for local logistics improvements during the response. Moore described the damage as comparable to “the impact of a tornado striking the entire county at once.” He also said delays distributing supplies “could have been alleviated with a centralized distribution point,” and he argued the unbuilt facility funded in part by a 2023 federal grant “would be not just something for Lafayette County, but all our friends and neighbors throughout the region.” The county cleared land for the emergency operations center and distribution facility but has been unable to complete construction after federal funding was delayed into 2024 and rising construction costs increased the county share.

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith posted on Facebook in support of the FEMA action, saying in part, “FEMA Public Assistance is now being offered to an additional 18 Mississippi counties harmed by Winter Storm Fern. I’m pleased local governments and certain nonprofits in Adams, Attala, Benton, Claiborne, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Marshall, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, and Yalobusha counties can apply for funding to support debris removal and permanent repairs to damaged public facilities. We will get through this together and continue working to ensure our state has the resources it needs to recover and rebuild.”

MSEMA and FEMA note that additional designations may be made if damage assessments warrant it. For ongoing recovery details, officials point to FEMA’s disaster 4899 page for updates on assistance and next steps.