Udall, Heinrich Announce Over $63 Million to Repair Eddy County Roads Damaged by September 2014 Storms, Floods

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced more than $63.6 million for Eddy County for hazard mitigation and to repair roads damaged by severe storms and flooding caused by Hurricane Odile in September 2014. The funding will help to permanently repair 24 aggregate, asphalt, and chip and seal roads, which suffered significant damage.

"This $63 million in disaster funding for Eddy County is a much-needed boost that will help repair damage caused by last year's severe storms from Hurricane Odile," Udall said. "I met with Eddy County community leaders shortly after the storms, and they told me that the magnitude of the damage was devastating - the hurricane disrupted oil and gas development, affected farms, damaged roads, and took a real toll on the economy. This needed funding will help Eddy County finally recover and rebuild."

"This is outstanding news for Eddy County," Heinrich said. "Last year's extreme weather conditions severely damaged roads and other critical infrastructure that New Mexicans rely on. The local economy depends on the oil and gas industry, WIPP, and potash mining, which all require functional roads to operate. This much-needed federal assistance will help restore our communities and businesses, and is a critical step toward the recovery effort."

The $63,602,780 grant will be provided to the state of New Mexico to distribute to Eddy County. Udall and Heinrich supported the state's request for disaster recovery assistance following Hurricane Odile.

The funding for Eddy County was awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.