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The federal government is leaving Fairfield county residents who suffered damages from the March storms high and dry. The government denied a request to offer federal aid to individual homes and businesses. Gov. M. Jodi Rell said she plans to appeal the decision.
The storms that battered our state last month left a trail of astonishing devastation in their wake crushed cars, homes struck by trees, week-long power outages and staggering flooding, Rell said in a prepared statement. People and businesses all across Connecticut were left with millions of dollars in damage. They need help.
The federal government did announce a major disaster declaration for Connecticut, approved by President Barack Obama. The move allowed the state and municipal agencies to apply for federal aid through FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security. The entire Connecticut delegation, including Sen. Christopher Dodd (D), Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I) and Rep. Jim Himes (D), spoke in favor of the declaration. They also supported expanding federal aid applications to individuals and private businesses. The impact of the winter storms could have crippled our state just as we have begun to recover from the economic storm, said Himes in a press release on his website. This funding will help keep up on track, and I applaud the president for approving this much-needed assistance.
State emergency officials have been ordered to begin collecting information to support the appeal on behalf of individuals. A spokesman for Lieberman said the senator still favors federal aid to assist individuals and strongly supports an appeal of the decision to deny aid. Representatives for Himes and Dodd said they were aware of the declaration but did not yet have a statement ready.
The declaration in favor of municipalities will allow for the federal government to pick up the bill for 75 percent or more of the cost of repairing roads, schools and public facilities. Four meetings are being scheduled across the state for FEMA and Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security administrators to brief local officials on the public assistance process. A Fairfield County meeting will be held May 3, 10 a.m., at the Bridgeport Emergency Operations Center.
The March 12-14 and March 29-31 storms damaged 1,315 homes across Connecticut resulting in $5,262,100 in damages.
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