The National Park Service recently announced $48.5 million in supplemental assistance grants to help historic resources recover in areas impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017. Communities in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will receive assistance for historic preservation projects related to hurricane recovery efforts. For more information about the HPF Disaster program, please visit https://go.nps.gov/disaster. To see a list of allocation of funding to each state visit https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/2017_hurricane_recovery_grants.htm

As national emergencies arise, Congress may appropriate funding from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) to provide relief for historic preservation projects impacted by natural disasters. The HPF uses revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, providing assistance for a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars.

These grants will support preservation repair, recovery, and resilience of properties listed in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register. Funding will also support necessary compliance under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, surveys of historic resources to determine eligibility and the degree of damage, administration of the grants, and preparedness for future disasters.