FEMA Needs to Reduce the $579 Million Backlog of Projects in its New York Public Assistance Grant Program

We determined that the Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) Region II (Region II) and New York State’s Division of Homeland Security Emergency Services (DHSES) have not adequately monitored or timely closed hundreds of projects, awarded at $578.8 million, for 7 disasters we reviewed.  We recommended that Region II and DHSES address the procedural controls in the closeout process in order to be adequately prepared for the large number and complexity of the next wave of projects ready for closeout.  We made four recommendations that will help strengthen internal controls to improve oversight of the PA grant program.  FEMA concurred with all four of our recommendations.