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Office of Disaster Recovery says $23.9 billion of recovery dollars remain accessible; $93.1M of recovery line used to advance projects
Summary
ODR reported obligations and expenditures tied to 2017-storm recovery programs, said a $100 million recovery line of credit has supported contractor payments and that obligations and spending are accelerating in fiscal 2025.
The Office of Disaster Recovery told senators Feb. 18 that recovery funding tied to the 2017 storms has grown substantially, and that the office is using a dedicated line of credit to bridge vendor payments as projects move through design and construction.
Adrian Williams Octalin of ODR said the territory’s total available recovery dollars have increased from an $8 billion estimate to about $23.9 billion across all programs; obligations rose from $4.8 billion in 2021 to $18.1 billion in 2024. He said FEMA Public Assistance remains a principal funding source and that a federal reduction in the local match requirement from 10% to as low as 2% has eased local matching burdens.
ODR reported $93,100,000 of a $100,000,000 recovery line of credit had been used to advance projects and pay contractors; $73,500,000 has been repaid from federal reimbursements and the office said roughly $85,805,000 of the $100 million cap remains available for future advances. ODR also said expenditures produced local gross-receipts-tax revenue in prior fiscal years and estimated a significant year-over-year increase in recovery spending for FY25—ODR expects roughly $441,000,000 in recovery expenditures in FY25 with $144,400,000 expended year-to-date.
ODR told the committee the line has helped pay for a range of projects, including home reconstruction programs (Envision Tomorrow Home), road and utility repairs, architectural and engineering work and WAPA infrastructure projects. ODR acknowledged contractor management challenges and said the Super PMO is posting work bundles and awards to move projects forward.
Senators asked for further details on project pipelines, Super PMO bundling, and timelines for large school and health-care projects. ODR said several “super-bundles” have been issued and the first contract is executed; long-term schedules vary by project but several projects will ramp up through 2025.
