{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356205", "FEMA Awards Bradley Beach $1M Grant", "2013-10-23", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bradley Beach Borough in Monmouth County has received preliminary approval for a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The borough was awarded over $1 million to help pay for the extensive repairs that resulted from Superstorm Sandy, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) said today. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0This award provides $1,076,541 to Bradley Beach to help pay for a project repairing the boardwalk, bulkheads, dune fencing and recreation equipment along the\u00a0beach which were damaged by Superstorm Sandy.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cBradley Beach took a direct hit from Sandy,\u201d said Smith who took a lead role in obtaining $60 billion in federal disaster relief funding for Superstorm Sandy victims. \u201cThe damage to the boardwalk and the beach facilities was extensive. But local workers and officials labored long and hard to reopen their town to visitors for the summer season. Of course, for municipal governments and property tax payers, who could have been looking at unprecedented repair costs, this federal assistance will help offset the financial impact of Sandy.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At a meeting in his Washington Office over the summer, Smith personally appealed to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to approve a 90 percent federal share for FEMA funding going to Jersey towns to pay for cleanup costs\u2014instead of the initially planned 75 percent. Fugate approved the 90 percent ratio several weeks later. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The total costs to repair the damage was $1,196,157, and the federal government will pay for 90 percent of the costs. The increase in the federal cost-share will save the borough an additional estimated $180,000. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt is the result of a lot of hard work by our emergency coordinators,\u201d said Mayor Gary Engelstad, noting the borough\u2019s beaches are in \u201cgreat\u201d shape. \u201cThere is a great deal of required paperwork that makes this happen. Without the attention to details and the cooperation of state and federal folks, this couldn\u2019t have happened. The bulk of the credit goes to our emergency coordinators and our elected officials who made this happen.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The repairs will address damages to 21 sites located in the beach area. Repair work has begun at nine of the sites.  The work completed includes:\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 repair of sidewalks;\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 curbs and masonry walls; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 replacement of playground equipment;\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 retaining wall and fence;\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 block wall and pavers; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 replacement of 5,400 square feet of boardwalk; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 replacement of 44 parking meter posts; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 replacement of three sets of beach access stairs, and;\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 one beach access ramp. \n\u00a0\nThe work to be completed at the remaining 12 sites includes:\u00a0\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 replacement of 15,789 feet of fencing; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 repair of the treated pine bulkhead; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 replacement of 3,004 feet of aluminum pipe railing; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 repair of the fountain; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 replacement of three gazebos; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 replacement of 220 concrete and wood benches; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 repair of the parking lot; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 repair 12 shower units and replace 3,700 feet of PVC pipe; \n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 replace damaged curb and sidewalk. \n\u00a0\u00a0According to the mayor, this FEMA grant approval is in addition to $300,000 already received, which will bring the total to $1.4 million.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356205"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.60911213606596, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}