Federal Funding Denied Counties Hit By Labor Day Flooding

Counties didn't reach the threshold

A DEADLY FLASH FLOOD THAT OCCURED DURING LABOR DAY WEEKEND AND DESTROYED INFRASTRUCTURE IN JEFFERSON, SWITZERLAND AND OHIO COUNTIES HAS BEEN DENIED FEDERAL RELIEF FROM FEMA. 

EVEN THOUGH THE FEDERAL FUNDING HAS BEEN DENIED THERE IS STILL HOPE THAT STATE FUNDING CAN STILL BE SOUGHT.

JEFFERSON COUNTY EMA SAID THE ASSISTANCE WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE THREE COUNTIES FAILED TO MEET THE $12.5 MILLION STATE THRESHOLD IN INFRASTRUCTURE CLAIMS FOR DISASTER RELIEF.

THE WORST AMOUNT OF THE DAMAGE OCCURED IN SWITZERLAND COUNTY, THEY INITIALLY WAS TO BE SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS AND POSSIBLE OF PUSHING THE THREE COUNTIES OVER THE THRESHOLD. JEFFERSON COUNTY'S DAMAGE CAME IN AT $1.7 MILLION DOLLARS WHILE OHIO COUNTY'S CAME IN AT SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND.

OFFICIALS VALIDATED THE CLAIMS FOR JEFFERSON AND OHIO COUNTIES BUT SOME OF CLAIMS FROM SWITZERLAND COUNTY WERE NOT ABLE TO BE VALIDATED AND THAT WAS ENOUGH TO PREVENT THE COUNTIES TO MEET THE THRESHOLD FOR THE FUNDING.

THE COUNTIES CAN APPLY FOR STATE DISASTER RELIEF FUNDING WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY THE GOVERNOR, THAT PAPERWORK WAS FILED ONCE OFFICIALS BECAME AWARE THAT THE FEDERAL FUNDING HAD BEEN DENIED.

OFFICALS ARE UNSURE HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO HEAR BACK FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ABOUT ANY CHANCES OF RECEIVING STATE FUNDING THE MONIES WILL BE COMING FROM A DISASTER FUND AND NOT TAX LINE ITEM AND ANY FUNDING WILL HELP " EMA DIRECTOR MORGAN SAID ANY FUNDING BEATS NO FUNDING AT ALL" 

CURRENTLY THE BRIDGE AT BRUSHY FORK ROAD REMAINS OUT, THIS IS BETWEEN SUGAN HOLLOW RD AND TATE RIDGE RD ALL OTHER BRIDGES IN THE AREA HAVE BEEN REPAIRED, CLEARED INSPECTION AND ARE OPEN TO SAFELY TRAVEL  ALTHOUGH THEY MAY STILL NEED ADDITIONAL WORK.