At his press conference this afternoon on this year’s legislative session, Gov. Butch Otter said he received a rejection from FEMA for his request for a major disaster declaration, and he’s appealing it. That’s part of Otter’s concern over the state budget, concern that he suggested is coloring his approach to whether or not to sign legislation repealing Idaho’s 6 percent sales tax on groceries.

Otter’s disaster declaration request, submitted Feb. 28, was for the snowstorm period from Dec. 22, 2016 to Jan. 19, 2017, and covered five counties. Now, the number of counties with state disaster declarations has swelled to 32, as the harsh winter degenerates into massive spring flooding.

“We are appealing that, but we have obviously, with a lot of other things that are going on in Washington, D.C., we don’t have an idea of how that appeal is going to go.” That means Idaho could end up footing the full bill for disaster mitigation this year statewide, he said, when “we believe some are yet to come.”

Just this morning, Otter said, he signed another declaration adding additional counties due to flooding. “If this weather turns warm, which it is likely to do, and we have additional rain, and it is in the forecast, then that flooding could get much worse.”

“And I’m going to be very mindful of that in the next few days when we’re considering other legislation that I have yet to sign.”

Otter said disaster damage so far already adds up to close to $30 million. State lawmakers, however, set aside $52 million out of the current year’s budget in emergency funding to repair roads, bridges and other infrastructure damaged by the snow and floods. Otter said he plans to sign that bill into law and use the funds. The hope had been to use the emergency funds as the state’s share for federal matching funds under FEMA.

“The letter said no, but there’s a process for appeal, so we are putting together our appeal request right now and adding those additional counties,” Otter said.

“We do know this: That it’s going to cost the agricultural sector in those counties … primarily over in the Weiser and Payette drainage and in the Magic Valley, about $100 million.” That’s on top of the $30 million in infrastructure damage, he said. “That’s just roads and bridges.”

“I’m hoping it doesn’t get any worse than the $30 million we’re at right now, but it could,” the governor said.

In a letter from FEMA Acting Administration Robert J. Fenton that Otter received on March 28, Fenton wrote, “Based on our review of all of the information available, it has been determined that the damage from this event was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments, and voluntary agencies. Accordingly, we have determined that supplemental federal assistance is not necessary.”

Otter said, “Maybe I was a little premature on my request, but if that’s the case, hopefully we can … (correct) that problem with our appeal.”

---

---