Under Section 403 of the Stafford Act; FEMA is authorized to provide financial assistance for work or services performed under a major disaster that is essential to saving lives and protecting and preserving property or public health and safety. The Public Assistance Guide states that the costs of repairing damage caused by applicants; if not due to negligence; may be eligible for assistance; especially if the damage occurs during emergency response efforts.Section 403 authorized FEMA to provide financial assistance for snow removal operations; an eligible emergency protective measure. Because the damage to the Applicant dock resulted from the performance of that emergency work; Section 403 also served as the authority for reimbursing the costs of dock repairs only; not the Applicant alternate project to repair adjacent properties.Under Section 406 of the Stafford Act; FEMA is authorized to provide financial assistance for work to repair; restore; reconstruct; or replace a public facility damaged or destroyed by a major disaster. If an applicant determines the public welfare would not be best served by restoring the damaged facility or its function; Section 406 authorizes it to apply its funding toward other eligible purposes. Such alternate projects may be taken only on permanent work.

PA Guide; at 31. HeadnotesUnder Section 403 of the Stafford Act; FEMA is authorized to provide financial assistance for work or services performed under a major disaster that is essential to saving lives and protecting and preserving property or public health and safety. The Public Assistance Guide states that the costs of repairing damage caused by applicants; if not due to negligence; may be eligible for assistance; especially if the damage occurs during emergency response efforts.Section 403 authorized FEMA to provide financial assistance for snow removal operations; an eligible emergency protective measure. Because the damage to the Applicant’s dock resulted from the performance of that emergency work; Section 403 also served as the authority for reimbursing the costs of dock repairs only; not the Applicant’s alternate project to repair adjacent properties.Under Section 406 of the Stafford Act; FEMA is authorized to provide financial assistance for work to repair; restore; reconstruct; or replace a public facility damaged or destroyed by a major disaster. If an applicant determines the public welfare would not be best served by restoring the damaged facility or its function; Section 406 authorizes it to apply its funding toward other eligible purposes. Such alternate projects may be taken only on permanent work.