June 5, 2026 | From City of New Orleans
Mayor Helena Moreno Announces FEMA Approval of JIRR Extension Through 2028
NEW ORLEANS - The City of New Orleans has secured a major win by receiving approval for an extension of the Joint Infrastructure Recovery Response (JIRR) program through June 2, 2028, providing the City and its infrastructure partners additional time to complete critical federally funded infrastructure and resilience projects across New Orleans.
The extension ensures the City can continue advancing major drainage, sewer, water, and roadway improvements that are essential to strengthening New Orleans’ long-term resilience and quality of life.
“This extension is critically important for the people of New Orleans because it gives us the ability to complete transformative infrastructure projects that are already underway and continue delivering long-overdue improvements to our residents,” said Mayor Helena Moreno. “An enormous amount of work went into securing this extension, and I am incredibly proud of our team for their relentless advocacy and coordination to help make this happen.”
Mayor Moreno thanked the many local, state, and federal partners who advocated for the extension request, including FEMA, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), Governor Jeff Landry, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Congressman Troy Carter, and the entire Louisiana congressional delegation for their support and collaboration throughout the process.
The Mayor also gave special recognition to Mrs. Gayle Benson for her leadership and advocacy.
“In particular, I want to thank Mrs. Benson, who took this issue all the way to the President,” Moreno said. “Her advocacy and commitment to the future of New Orleans helped elevate the urgency and importance of this request at the highest levels.”
Moreno also thanked members of her administration and City infrastructure teams who spent months working alongside federal and state partners to demonstrate the need for additional time to complete the work responsibly and successfully.
The JIRR program was established following the City’s historic FEMA settlement to address billions of dollars in deferred infrastructure needs and modernize critical systems throughout New Orleans.
The City will continue working closely with federal, state, and local partners to ensure projects move forward efficiently and transparently over the extended timeline.
To read FEMA's response, click here.
To view a map of the JIRR Program Status for FEMA, click here.