NEWS RELEASE
BOULDER COLORADO
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On Monday, Jan. 31, Boulder County submitted a request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist the communities of Louisville, Superior, and unincorporated Boulder County with funding help for Private Property Debris Removal (PPDR). The request will now be formally reviewed by FEMA, which could take four weeks to complete.
In the PPDR request, Boulder County formally asked that FEMA provide financial support to all three impacted communities to safely remove and properly dispose of debris and ash resulting from high-winds and the Marshall Fire on December 30. The request asked for the inclusion of the following types of debris:
- Destroyed structures
- Downed and damaged trees and other vegetation
- Contaminated soil, which will include sampling and testing work
- Burned vehicles and debris that may impede effective cleanup of individual properties
- Structures with more than one standing wall
- Foundations, which could include retaining walls
While FEMA completes their review, Boulder County, Louisville, and Superior will work collaboratively and follow FEMA guidelines to retain contractor(s) to prepare for the PPDR work. The deadline for qualified contractors to submit Requests for proposals (RFPs) was Tuesday, Feb. 1. The RFPs are currently being reviewed.
In addition to the RFP process, the county and its partners are currently developing prioritization the scope of work, determining monitoring and soil testing procedures, and finalizing operational plans and other details for quick action when all plans are in place. FEMA approval of the County’s PPDR request is a vital step to ensure funding is available to begin the next phase of debris removal work and will help determine how the County and its partners will move forward. Boulder County has already completed multiple phases of the debris removal effort, including collection of spoiled foods and removal of burned vehicles from the right-of-way. Curbside collection of wind- and smoke-damaged items from homes that were not destroyed is currently ongoing and is expected take approximately two weeks to complete, weather permitting.
Questions about the PPDR request should be directed to Boulder County for follow-up. Visit www.BoCo.org/Marshall-Fire-Cleanup for more information on the debris removal program.
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