FEMA denies assistance to several KY counties affected by February flood
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied public and individual assistance for several Kentucky counties affected by February flooding, said Gov. Andy Beshear.
The counties denied individual assistance were Butler, Franklin, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence and Whitley. FEMA’s denial letter said joint preliminary damage assessments determined that individual and household damage in those counties did not meet the threshold for individual assistance.
The assessments also determined that the impact on the infrastructure in Simpson and Woodford counties did not meet the threshold for public assistance, according to FEMA’s letter.
Beshear said his office is comparing damage assessments and will appeal the decision. FEMA’s letter said appeals can be filed within 30 days after the denial letter, which was finalized Tuesday.
“While we are grateful to have gotten an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for the February flooding, which has authorized at least some level of public assistance for local governments in 68 counties and individual assistance for Kentuckians in 16 counties, we are disappointed to receive this latest news,” Beshear said in a news release.
The 16 counties approved for individual assistance are Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Simpson and Woodford, according to FEMA. Individual assistance opens up additional funds for local governments and people affected by the flood.
All of Kentucky’s 120 counties reported flooding after 3 to 8 inches of rain fell on the state beginning the night of Feb. 14, prompting more than 1,000 emergency rescues in the first 24 hours. The flood and cold weather left 22 people in Kentucky dead.
The individual assistance request for April’s severe weather and flooding event is still pending, according to Beshear. The request was filed on April 11 and asked for individual assistance for 13 counties and public assistance and direct federal assistance for 33 counties.
If the application is approved, Beshear said he plans to add more counties to the request.
“We’ve been through enough of these, we know that that is the fastest, most effective and most efficient process to do it,” Beshear previously said. “I know when we make this application, and hopefully it gets signed off on, we’ll put out that list of 10-12 counties. Rest assured there will be more.”
That storm system, which began April 2, dumped rain across the state for several days, swelling waterways, covering roads and leading to evacuations. Seven people died in the storms.
