On Friday, U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had awarded $1,671,740 in grants to Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

The funds will come in two grants. Grant 1 is in the amount of $1,583,753.94, and will fund phase I of a multi-use community saferoom on the Wesson campus of Co-Lin. This is for feasibility, design, engineering, environmental and historic preservation.

The saferoom will be a total of 36,480 square feet, a total estimated cost of $25,149,366.60, or $689.40 per square foot. The room will also be used as an athletic facility with a basketball court, offices, and locker rooms.

This grant falls under the Consolidated Appropriate Act of 2022, requiring no less than a federal cost share of 90 percent.

The second grant — in the amount of $87,986.33 — will fund the subrecipient management costs (SRMC) for phase I administrative duties. This award allows SRMC up to 5 percent of the total project cost, available to the recipient at a federal cost share of 100 percent. The funds come pursuant to the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018.