What to know about FEMA checks, other federal Florida aid after Milton

Standing in front of wreckage on St. Pete Beach from Hurricane Milton, President Joe Biden on Sunday promised federal dollars would flow into the state to help families recover — and harden against future storms that will inevitably come.

Even though Florida is accustomed to hurricanes, the one-two punch of Helene and Milton has left residents reeling. Biden said more than 250,000 Floridians registered for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Saturday, "the most in a single day ever in the history of this country."

That translates to millions of dollars in taxpayers funds directed to those who need it. Here's what we know so far about the federal money coming to Florida:

I've applied for FEMA aid. How quickly can I expect a check? FEMA aid is based on need, and federal officials check if applicants are on Medicare, Medicaid or food assistance, if they're renters or homeowners, what their tax returns say, and whether their damage was covered by insurance.

If an applicant qualifies for FEMA aid, they can have money in their checking accounts within a few days, said Craig Fugate, a former administrator of the agency.

When he oversaw FEMA between 2009 and 2017, $1 billion went into victims' accounts within 32 days after Hurricane Sandy and $1 billion went to Baton Rouge flooding victims within 30 days, Fugate said.

"It's fast, it's fairly efficient, and it doesn't lend itself to extensive fraud," he said.

Biden also announced that the money for those loans was completely exhausted by recent disasters. But the federal government will still process new applications before Congress reconvenes Nov. 12, when lawmakers could add more funding.

Are the feds helping pay for debris removal? Biden said the federal government was prioritizing debris removal and working with state and local governments to "clear roads, get wreckage from two hurricanes off properties so more folks can return home."

"That's a priority for me," Biden added.

Biden approved reimbursing local governments for 100% of the cost for debris removal for the first 90 days after the storm. That has prompted Gov. Ron DeSantis to encourage local governments to get the rotting wood, furniture and appliances on homeowners' curbs removed as quickly as possible.

"We got to take advantage of that," DeSantis said Monday. "The sooner we do it, the better it'll be financially, and then the better it is for everybody."

DeSantis said Sunday he directed over 2,800 personnel from the Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida State Guard, the National Guard, Florida Highway Patrol and search and rescue to help with debris removal.

Their efforts are focusing primarily on Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties, but the Florida Department of Transportation will also complete debris removal in small, fiscally constrained counties, DeSantis said.

What about Biden's announcement of millions to help Florida Power & Light? At the weekend news conference, Biden announced $612 million would be dedicated to six new energy projects in areas impacted by Helene and Milton, including $47 million for the Gainesville Regional Utilities, a municipal-owned utility, and the same amount to a grid device company partnering with Florida Power & Light, the state's largest investor-owned utility.

Despite the timing of Biden's announcement, these awards were not entirely spurred by these recent storms. The utilities are getting the money through an existing program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law designed to help the nation's grid better withstand extreme weather, which is becoming more frequent due to climate change. Utilities apply for the funds, and Florida Power & Light has already received $30 million for a separate project under the program .

According to the federal government, the latest grant will help Florida Power & Light reduce energy losses and therefore lower customers' bills, as well as better integrate solar panels and electric vehicles, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

But the funding also raised some eyebrows, because investor-owned utilities already charge an extra fee on customers' bills for storm-hardening measures. Does this mean Florida customers will catch a break?

Florida Power & Light did not respond to emails from the Tampa Bay Times requesting more information. A U.S. Department of Energy spokesperson said the agency will "monitor project progress and ensure that grant funds are being spent appropriately throughout the project lifespan."

Florida utilities have also been criticized for heavily relying on fossil fuels to make electricity — more than 70% of Florida Power & Light's power comes from burning natural gas, according to utility data firm Find Energy. Before crashing into the state, Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified, feeding off a record-hot Gulf of Mexico temperatures that were likely exacerbated by climate change.

Shelby Green, a research associate for the utility watchdog group Energy and Policy Institute, said there needs to be accountability for this money.

"If the federal government is going to invest hundreds of millions to harden the grid, but the utility receiving that money is not doing what it can to reduce the emissions that are the root cause of these extreme weather events ... is it going to lead a better outcome in 10 years or just put a Band-aid on the problem?" she said.

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