County Gets FEMA Funding
Crawford County one of 10 to
get FEMA funding for flood damage
By Ted Pennekamp
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to Crawford County and nine other counties to help pay for recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, flood damage and mudslides during the heavy rains of Sept. 21-22.
The nine other counties included in President Obama’s federal disaster declaration are Adams, Chippewa, Clark, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland and Vernon.
“We’re pleased these communities will receive federal assistance as they work to repair roads and other infrastructure that was damaged during the flash floods last month,” said Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. “The damage caused by these flash floods and mudslides have placed significant strains on many local budgets, so this federal assistance is a welcome relief.”
Last week, Governor Walker formally requested a federal disaster declaration. Although impacted by the floods, Eau Claire and Trempealeau counties did not sustain enough damage to qualify for the federal assistance.
Heavy rains hit western Wisconsin on Sept. 21 and Sept. 22, causing flash floods, mudslides and washed out roads. Preliminary damage assessments conducted by FEMA determined the storms caused more than $11 million in damage to public infrastructure, including more than $5.2 million in damage in Vernon County. The last estimate posted by Wisconsin Emergency Management on Sept. 30 was approximately $3.5 million for Crawford County.
The major disaster declaration is for public assistance, which covers eligible projects submitted by counties, cities, townships, and certain private, not-for-profit organizations. The program is not for businesses or homeowners.
Communities in the affected counties are now eligible for federal assistance. They should contact their county emergency management director for further information.
Under the program, FEMA provides 75 percent of the costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures, as well as repairs to damaged roads, bridges, trails, recreational areas and other public facilities. FEMA will also pay for 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters.
Crawford County Highway Commissioner Dennis Pelock said the state of Wisconsin will pay for 12.5 percent and local municipalities will pay for the other 12.5 percent of costs.
Bridges, roads and other public infrastructure would be repaired to pre-disaster condition. There are ways, however, to mitigate for federal funds to go beyond pre-disaster repairs in order to prevent such damages in the future, said FEMA representative Don Helgeson of Region 5 in Chicago.
Benigno Bern Ruiz has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Ruiz said that additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
Crawford County Emergency Management Director Jim Hackett has said that the county is applying for a possible Community Development Block Grant-Emergency Assistance Grant in order to help private citizens affected by the flash floods. The county is also working with Wisconsin Emergency Management to apply for a Small Business Administration declaration. If approved, residents affected can qualify for very low interest loans. In addition, Couleecap has funding available to help recover such items as furnaces and hot water heaters.
