Published: November 24, 2009 10:10 pm      

Hill pushing FEMA disaster declaration reform

Bill spawned from Indiana denial, Kentucky award of federal aid from August storm

Despite being drenched by the same Aug. 4 storm, Floyd and Clark counties didn’t receive federal disaster aid while neighboring Jefferson County was awarded public and private assistance.

In response, Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., introduced the Disaster Assistance Reform Act in the U.S. House last week, and will be in Clarksville on Monday to discuss the legislation with residents affected by the August flood, as well as local officials.

If passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama, the measure would ensure residents in states bordering a state that was hit by a major disaster would receive federal assistance if they meet a certain damage threshold.

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied Indiana’s appeal Nov. 3, Hill spokeswoman Katie Moreau said the 9th District Indiana Representative was miffed that Louisville received aid and Southern Indiana did not, despite the proximity of the communities.

“Baron has met with FEMA officials and other emergency officials to try and get ideas about how to address this problem, where Louisville was granted for aid when there’s very little distance obviously between the two [areas],” she said.

Currently, an entire state has to be declared a disaster area by the president in order to receive either public or private assistance, or both, based on FEMA assessments. The federal agency ruled there was not enough cumulative damage in Indiana to warrant a disaster declaration, thus no aid was made available.

That decision still draws angry responses from local leaders. During a New Albany City Council meeting last week, Mayor Doug England said federal response made no sense.

“I had water in my streets just like Louisville,” he said.

The Clarksville press conference will be held at Cannon’s Florist, a business hurt by the August flooding.