Florida counties under FEMA deadline to get reimbursed for Hurricane Ian debris pick up

TAMPA, Fla. - Piles of debris still stick out weeks after Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida, and some Tampa Bay area neighbors feel the same frustration. 

Local municipalities know people want their yards back.

"I know people want it to be gone faster. Just know we're working seven days a week, sunup to sundown to get that removed as quickly and safely as possible," said Travis Barnes, the manager of sustainable materials management with Hillsborough County Solid Waste Department.

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In Hillsborough County, crews expect to find 500,000 to one million cubic yards of debris.

"So it's about a year's worth of debris that we have to now pick up as quickly as we can," said Barnes, to add perspective. 

On Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis said the state is working with FEMA to speed up the debris pickup process. Florida's counties have until the end of November to be fully reimbursed.

So far, the City of Tampa got rid of three-quarters of its storm-related tree limbs and leaves.

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"We have estimated that there will be about 80,000 cubic yards of material to collect, and currently we sit at about 60,000 of that collected as we talk today," said Stephen Swan, the chief of operations for the City of Tampa’s Solid Waste Department. "We have close to probably about 30 trucks running out there with the two contractors and our folks running."

But farther south, Manatee County sustained more damage, including vegetative debris and construction debris.

"We were able to get started a lot earlier this time around than we did when we had Irma, and we had trucks on the road within a week. That's not real typical of a debris coordinated effort," said Amy Pilson, the strategic affairs manager for Manatee County Utilities Department. "So we've been working really hard, and we have three contractors, which is not typical either. Typically, a county will have one, possibly two, but we did bring in three in order to try to expedite the process."

Pilson said Manatee County is disposing of tree debris right now, then they will move on construction and demolition trash.

"We do have every area of the county being worked in at one point, and that makes it a little bit more difficult to have a map that shows where the haulers will be next," said Pilson.

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If you’re waiting for debris pick up, officials said do not add regular yard waste to your storm pile, because it creates more challenges for pickup crews.

"I think the residents want the material gone off their property. So trying to keep the true yard waste collection from the storm debris and picking it up separately so that we could get properly reimbursed for our employees and for the material, that's probably been the biggest struggle," said Swan.

Cities and counties must carefully log what they collect for the federal government, so it’s important to keep your storm debris and yard waste separate no matter where you live.

A second thing to know is how you compile your storm debris.

"Don't place things in bags because we can't collect the bag with the other. So those things can be picked up on their regular yard waste days," said Pilson.

Counties have until the end of November to meet FEMA’s deadline to get reimbursed for debris pickup, and it may take longer if your area has more damage.

"Just be patient with us. We will get to them as we go along in the process," said Swan.