Department of Homeland Security 

Office of Inspector General 

2007 Debris Removal Pilot Programs and Initiatives
 

OIG-09-16 January 2009 
 

 

Office of Inspector General 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, DC 20528

 January 15, 2009 

MEMORANDUM FOR: 	 Nancy Ward 

 Acting Administrator 

Federal Emergency Management Agency 

FROM: 	 Richard L. Skinner 

 Inspector General 

SUBJECT:	 Management Advisory Report – 2007 Debris Removal 

Pilot Program and Initiatives (OIG-09-16) 

In June 2007, we initiated a review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) 

2007 Debris Removal Pilot Program and Initiatives. In that same month, FEMA announced its 

Public Assistance (PA) Pilot Program that, among other things, included a debris removal 

component. We met with officials from your Disaster Assistance Directorate and modified our 

objective to determine whether the PA pilot program will meet program goals and whether the 

program can be adequately evaluated at the end of the pilot program period. This memorandum 

advises you of the results of FEMA’s outreach efforts to gain state and local government 

participation in this voluntary program. 

Title VI of Public Law 109-295, the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, 

amended the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in Subtitle E, Section 

689 and directed FEMA to conduct a PA pilot program to: 

(1) Reduce the costs of federal public assistance provided to state and local governments, 

(2) Increase the flexibility in grant administration, and 

(3) Expedite the provision of assistance to states and local governments. 

FEMA implemented its innovative pilot program on June 1, 2007, with new procedures that allowed 

states and local governments to voluntarily participate in the program. Under the PA pilot program, 

FEMA can: (1) provide grants based on estimates for any large project up to $500,000; (2) allow an 

additional 5% federal share of costs for applicants with FEMA-approved debris management plans 

and at least two pre-qualified debris removal contractors identified prior to a disaster; (3) allow 

applicants to retain the salvage value of recyclable debris; and (4) reimburse straight or regular-time 

salaries and benefits of an applicant’s permanently employed staff performing debris-related 

activities. The pilot program ended on December 31, 2008. Additionally, Public Law 109-295 

requires the Administrator to submit a report to Congress on the effectiveness of the pilot program 

no later than March 31, 2009. 
FEMA issued a pilot program field guide in August 2007 to supplement earlier program guidance 

and provided pilot program briefings at state emergency management conferences, regional and state 

training sessions, and Joint Field Offices (JFO). In addition, FEMA staff responded to numerous 

questions from applicants regarding the pilot program, and together with state emergency 

management agencies, made pilot program documents available on their websites. From June 2007 

through October 2007, we visited four regional offices, six states with federally-declared disasters 

occurring after June 2007, and several JFOs. We also held meetings with federal, state, and local 

government officials to assess FEMA’s effectiveness in encouraging voluntary state and local 

government participation in the program. 

FEMA demonstrated a commitment to the pilot program by developing guidance and implementing 

the program 8 months after the congressional mandate to do so. While FEMA recognized the need 

to promote this voluntary program and did so through numerous briefings and training sessions and 

by preparing PA pilot program pamphlets and posting information on its website, its outreach efforts 

could have been more effective by ensuring that FEMA officials within the FEMA regions and at the 

JFOs were more knowledgeable of the program and provided a consistent and unified message to 

state and local governments. During our fieldwork, states and local government officials said they 

were reluctant to participate in the program because of uncertainties regarding the financial benefits 

of voluntary participation. Consequently, at the conclusion of our fieldwork, there was insufficient 

institutional knowledge for us to measure FEMA’s success in accomplishing the three goals laid out 

by Congress for the pilot program. However, we have ongoing and planned work that will address 

PA pilot program execution and benefits available to states and local governments. 

We are currently completing a review of FEMA’s Public Assistance Project Management Process. 

The objectives of that review are to determine the effectiveness of FEMA’s process for monitoring 

PA projects, including the use of project worksheets, and to identify opportunities for improving the 

current process, including institutionalizing the PA pilot program. In addition, your Disaster 

Assistance Directorate requested an independent review and opinion on the program as they prepare 

to evaluate and report to Congress on the results of the program. This review will begin early in FY 

2009 and will determine: (1) how well the program was executed; (2) whether the pilot program is 

adequately and equitably implemented across FEMA regions and fair to applicants; and (3) best 

practices and improvements for program execution in the future. 

We trust that our observations on FEMA’s PA pilot program outreach efforts, as well as our ongoing 

and planned work, will be of assistance as you move forward to expedite the provision of public 

assistance funding to states and local governments. Should you have any questions, please call me, 

or your staff may contact Matt Jadacki, Deputy Inspector General, Emergency Management 

Oversight, at (202) 254-4100. 

cc: 	 Assistant Administrator, Disaster Assistance Directorate, FEMA 

Audit Liaison, FEMA (Job Code: DP7W03) 

Audit Liaison, DHS 

2 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND COPIES 

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