US Department of Labor provides additional funding to help Pennsylvania recover from damage caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $3,330,000 National Emergency Grant increment to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry to assist the commonwealth with continuing clean-up and recovery efforts following Hurricane Irene, which struck Aug. 26-30, 2011, and Tropical Storm Lee, which struck Sept. 3, 2011. The funds will support temporary jobs in affected areas.

"Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee have inflicted widespread damage on parts of Pennsylvania," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The Labor Department's grant increment will fund assistance for recovery efforts in the communities touched by these devastating storms."

On Sept. 3, 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency declared a number of Pennsylvania counties eligible for FEMA's Public Assistance Program in response to Hurricane Irene. On Sept. 12, 2011, FEMA issued a second declaration for counties impacted by Tropical Storm Lee. More information on designated disaster areas is available from FEMA at http://www.fema.gov/news/eventcounties.fema?id=15592 and http://www.fema.gov/news/eventcounties.fema?id=15712.

The commonwealth of Pennsylvania targeted the following counties to receive assistance under this grant: Bradford, Bucks, Columbia, Lancaster, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union and Wyoming. An initial grant of up to $10,000,000, with $3,330,000 released initially, was approved by the Labor Department on Sept. 26, 2011. With the increment released today, the total amount awarded to date is $6,660,000.

National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information, visit http://www.doleta.gov/NEG/.