The State of North Carolina and FEMA have approved more than $7.8 million to reimburse a City of Fayetteville cemetery following Hurricane Florence-related damage.
The grant reimburses the city to stabilize a riverbank at Cross Creek Cemetery to reduce potential flood damage. It also covers relocating 250 final resting places.
The Cape Fear River flooded during Hurricane Florence and threatened a cemetery section near the riverbank containing 250 burial sites. The cemetery will use the land to stabilize the riverbank once it relocates the 250 burial sites to another section on its premises.
Cross Creek Cemetery was founded in 1785 and the section being relocated was added in 1930.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants for state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations to reimburse the cost of debris removal, emergency protective measures and permanent repair work.
Public Assistance is a cost-sharing program. FEMA reimburses applicants at least 75 percent of eligible costs and the remaining 25 percent is covered by the state. The federal share is paid directly to the state to disburse to agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations that incurred costs.
FEMA’s total share for the Cross Creek Cemetery project is more than $5.8 million and the state’s share is more than $1.9 million. More than $12 million has been approved for the City of Fayetteville to reimburse Hurricane Florence-related expenses.
For more information on North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Florence, visit ncdps.gov/Florence and FEMA.gov/Disaster/4393. Follow us on Twitter: @NCEmergency and @FEMARegion4.