BOSTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending nearly $1.7 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) for the costs of operating safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The $1,656,336 Public Assistance grant will reimburse MassDOT for the cost of purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE) and taking other measures to keep essential staff safe between June 2020 and January 2021.

 

In addition to purchasing PPE, cleaning supplies, and hand sanitizer for its facilities, MassDOT contracted with six cleaning service companies to provide special equipment and disinfecting of facilities, including nightly cleaning.

 

"FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the Massachusetts Department of Transportation with these costs," said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. "Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation."

 

FEMA's Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

 

So far, FEMA has provided more than $1.4 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.

 

Additional information about FEMA's Public Assistance program is available at https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit. To learn more about the COVID-19 response in Massachusetts, please visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4496