Congressman Darren Soto announced on Mar. 12 that Osceola County will receive more than $13 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funding to support flood control and infrastructure improvements.
The funding aims to help communities in Osceola County recover from past hurricanes and better prepare for future storms. The area has faced significant flooding, particularly after Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Ian, which displaced families and caused extensive damage.
“Nearly a decade ago, communities in BVL and Mills Slough were devastated when Hurricane Irma flooded their neighborhoods. Just a few years later, Hurricane Ian struck again. Residents were forced from their homes as several feet of water poured in, displacing families, inundating houses, and upending lives,” said Rep. Darren Soto. “Since then, Commissioner Janer and I have worked together to secure the resources needed to protect these communities. Today, we were proud to announce $13 million in FEMA funding for BVL flood control and traffic light hardening. This builds on $2 million in federal Community Project Funding we previously secured for flood control in the area. Osceola County has also spent an estimated $15 million to begin construction. Following the severe flooding caused by Hurricane Ian, this investment will help strengthen infrastructure and ensure these neighborhoods are better protected for years to come.”
Commissioner Viviana Janer said, “Osceola County is grateful to Congressman Darren Soto for his continued commitment to delivering federal resources to our community. These funds will help strengthen the ongoing efforts already underway to improve Buenaventura Lakes and surrounding areas, and I appreciate the Congressman’s partnership in supporting the residents we proudly serve together.”
The new grants include over $10 million for drainage improvements in Buenaventura Lakes Subdivision aimed at mitigating flooding by constructing a new outfall system designed to protect against a 50-year storm event. Another grant of more than $3 million will fund wind protection upgrades at five intersections by replacing span-wire-mounted signals with mast arm mounting techniques so that traffic signals can withstand winds up to 150 miles per hour.
These investments follow previous federal allocations of $2 million for flood control projects as well as approximately $15 million spent by Osceola County on construction efforts.
