WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a $450,000 grant to replace and upgrade the ice boom on the Allegheny River near Oil City.
“I commend FEMA for taking the necessary steps to ensure the Allegheny River ice boom functions properly in the event of an imminent flood,” said Senator Casey. “Replacement of the ice boom will protect the residents of Oil City for years to come.”
Last November, Senator Casey sent a letter to FEMA in support of the new ice boom, which is designed to prevent flooding due to ice-flow buildups that typically occur in the late winter and early spring. Senator Casey toured the site of the existing ice boom last summer.
The funds are available through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which aims to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.
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