Bredesen Requests Presidential Disaster Declaration for Four Tennessee Counties
Friday, May 01, 2009 | 07:38am
NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen has asked President Obama to declare Rutherford, McMinn, Sequatchie and Benton Counties as federal disaster areas following the severe weather, high-winds and tornadoes that struck those counties on April 10. Should this request for public assistance be granted, the federal program will help cover emergency response and recovery costs incurred by state and local governments.
“The cost of response and cleanup efforts for a large disaster can be a tremendous financial burden for the impacted counties,” said Bredesen. “Federal assistance to them and their local governments will lessen the severity of that impact in these times of tight budgets.”
The storm, which resulted in two deaths in Rutherford County, caused damage in all four counties to public and private structures, significant loss of power, road damage, downed power lines and wide-spread debris that made roads impassable.
Public Assistance
The federal Public Assistance Program authorizes a number of benefits for state and local governments and public utilities to reclaim expenses relating to debris removal, overtime and property damages for civic buildings.
The federal Public Assistance Program authorizes a number of benefits for state and local governments and public utilities to reclaim expenses relating to debris removal, overtime and property damages for civic buildings.
Local and state agencies expended considerable resources responding to the emergency, restoring public infrastructure and removing debris. The federal program will provide reimbursement for 75 percent of the eligible costs incurred by local or state government. Utilities are also eligible for 75 percent reimbursement, but must pay the matching 25 percent themselves.
In response to an earlier request by Governor Bredesen, the Small Business Administration activated its SBA Disaster Loan program to provide help to households and private businesses in Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Davidson, Marshall, Rutherford, Williamson and Wilson Counties.
In cases where government assistance programs are not an option, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency continues to assist county emergency management where possible to match individual needs with non-governmental programs, such as those offered by members of the Tennessee Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters.
Additional information about state and federal assistance for affected counties will be released as details become available.
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