AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Emergency Management Agency officials determined Friday that Maine will not reach the threshold needed in order to qualify for federal disaster assistance for Piscataquis and Penobscot county communities slammed by severe rainstorms in late June.
Given that, state officials will not be requesting assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, MEMA Director Rob McAleer announced Friday.
Brownville, Patten and Milo were among the towns hardest hit by the storms, which washed out roads and railroad tracks, shut down businesses and otherwise wreaked havoc on the region.
Initial cost estimates pegged damage from the storms at about $1.2 million, she said. Though that fell short of the $1.8 million minimum normally needed to qualify for FEMA assistance, state officials believed Maine might qualify for aid under a provision that allows for a lower threshold to be considered in the case of significant localized impact.
“After FEMA visited the affected towns and conferred with [the Maine Department of Transportation], it was found that some of the previously estimated damage figures could not be included and our statewide estimate dropped to below $700,000,” McAleer said.
“This takes us below the point that we could qualify for assistance — even under this specific exception in the rules,” he said.
Gov. Paul LePage requested the FEMA survey last week, after also
requesting an extension of the time period to make a disaster request,
in order to ensure that all avenues of possible assistance were being
explored.
McAleer said his staff is continuing to work with the Department of Economic and Community Development to assess the economic impact on businesses in the areas affected by the storms and to explore other potential sources for assistance.
He also praised local officials and the DOT for their swift response to the severe damage, repairing and reopening roads quickly after 8 inches of rain fell in just over three hours, causing extensive washouts.
State transportation officials estimate that they performed close to $300,000 of repairs in Piscataquis County from this one storm.
One death was attributed to the storm.
Now this is really disappointing. Why didn’t LePage just revert to the smooth talker he normally is and tell them to go to hell or to kiss his butt. It wouldn’t get any money for the towns but it would sure make LePage supporters happy.
Great story. Now back to the article…..
Apparently our Governor does not want the state to borrow money to invest in infrastructure or repair storm damage-but he has no problem with the Feds taking loans to do the same work.
Just tell the tax payers the bad news…..they’ve know for a while they were going to get hit with the clean up bill………unreal……welcome to america…….kick em when they are down and continue with more
I am sure that FEMA is above petty payback. Give ’em He11 Gov’nah! That’ll make things better.
More hope and change from the anointed one …
yeah, tell that to the people of Brownville. hope is gone and change in DC is the worst.
This country (THE US) is too busy rebuilding the rest of the world, especially Haiti and Iraq, to worry about a wide place in the road called Milo, Brownville or Patten. It is so sad, billions of foreign aid oversees, but, our own cannot get a lousy million to help out, there is a need for somehow, for the people to get back control of our government, the people, we the people.
Iraq has lots of oil and Bush had lots of friends who wanted it.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/7/16/fuel_on_the_fire_author_greg
get over the blaming bush my god it has been to long and was approved by all congress so if you want to blame people blame politicians not just one person.
Stop your whining and expecting the Government to bail every little town and city out when they have a thunder shower or a snow storm. The “free” money is drying up, live with it.
Fits in perfectly with LePage’s reluctance to accept any federal money. I can’t really understand why he asked for the review in the first place.
the article states LePage asked for extra time on this estimate. perhaps he was still gathering Facts.
The point is that he refuses federal money based on ideological grounds and then wants federal money. George Orwell used to refer to thinking in this way to schizophrenic. I refer to it as hypocrisy.
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Gov. Paul LePage requested the FEMA survey last week, after also requesting an extension of the time period to make a disaster request.
Huh. So it’s okay to ask for federal help for this, but not to extend health care benefits to people in need?? Typical of LePlague. November can’t get here quick enough.
health care does NOT belong in this topic and you know it. this is about storm damage. I saw the damage and it was bad. Very bad.
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Before you blame Lepage, take a look at some other disaster areas in the US. The 500 year flood in Duluth got rejected as well. Hey, when the democrats spend money it is first come first serve and then scream for more, except they have not fixed the economy so the well is dry.
Point 6 diference – give me a break!!!
Surely. What’s $600,000 between friends?
Of course, NO money to help disasters in this country, BUT President Obama just gave another $71 Million to Israel.
Our Government also gives $1.3 Billion a year to Egypt so they will honor their treaty with Israel, spend $BILLIONS rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan, let alone all the foreign aid that that is given away just so other countries will be OUR buddies (ya, right).
I only hope that before it is to late we will get someone to be President that will put “OUR” Country and the AMERICAN PEOPLE “FIRST”, will say …………….. before we give away $BILLIONS to other countries we will take care of AMERICANS in this country. (Probably wishful thinking, but can always hope)
The fact is we’ve been giving $$$$ to all those places for YEARS- long before Obama showed up……do I think we should be giving all those places our money when we have people and communities here at home that could use the $$$$$ No. You will be hard pressed to find any president (Dem or GOP) who will change this foreign policy…..unfortunately.
This is awful and what is Lepage doing about?? Can Sen. Collins help or Sen Snow or Pingree. What is there stand oon this. Lets give the welfare more and let the working people in Brownville and Milo deal with there own problem. Wonderful country we live in.
It is 100% political
Do you suppose FEMA smelled a rat when the total damage came up $800,000 short for qualifying for relief and they asked for more time to do more figuring. the old saying, figures don’t lie but liars can figure, applies here.
If this isn’t a shovel ready job I don’t know what is. The Democrates should have loved it and made the numbers work.
Hey LePage! Your “Tea Party” wanted less Big government intrusion and More cuts to save the 1% from paying too much in taxes…..this is what you get! 8(