Relief Sought For Flood Victims Federal Funding Already Given For Repairs To Bridges, Roads
Members of the Idaho congressional delegation are working to obtain federal assistance for homeowners damaged by last month’s Snake River flood rampage.
Members of the congressional delegation urged President Clinton to support Gov. Phil Batt’s request for individual assistance for flood victims in Bingham and Jefferson counties.
“These two counties have seen at least 221 homes and a number of businesses damaged or destroyed by the flooding,” the letter said. “We believe this is an area where federal individual assistance is justified and we request you take action to provide assistance to those who have lost so much in these two counties.”
A spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency field office in Idaho Falls said it usually takes damage to 60-100 homes for the president to allow individual help to disaster victims.
The FEMA report transmitted to the Oval Office earlier this week indicated that only 35 homes were seriously damaged.
“They’re being fairly strict about meeting certain numerical standards, but that formula is not set in stone,” Wendy Meter said.
“The Clinton administration has been very liberal in their granting of declarations as a whole, but we really can’t predict.”
The report said that only three homes were ruined by the flooding, which started in mid-June and mostly subsided at the end of the month.
About 250 homes were affected by the flood but did not sustain major damage, the report said.
Federal funds have already been released for repair of public infrastructure, such as roads and bridges.
But relief for individuals must go through an entirely different process, Meter said.
“When you ask for individual assistance, you have to go through a longer process. It has to go to the president’s desk,” Meter said.
“The state and FEMA have submitted all the paperwork, and the status of it now is that it’s somewhere in the upper rungs of the ladder.”
Meanwhile, FEMA is helping homeowners. Counselors with technical and construction expertise will go to homes and provide how-to information about rebuilding in the most cost-effective way.
FEMA also is directing flood victims to volunteer organizations such as the American Red Cross for families who still have emergency needs.