WASHINGTON, D.C. — The federal government has approved more than $131 million to build new schools in Nicholas County after three schools were destroyed in the June 2016 flood.
Both U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito announced Friday the funding from the Federal Emergency Management.
The flood destroyed Richwood High School, Richwood Middle School and Summersville Middle School. The money will finance a mediated school construction plan.
That plan, agreed to in September 2018, includes building a new Richwood High School on property the school board already owns at Cherry River Elementary. A new Richwood Middle will also be on that site. A new Nicholas County Middle School, Nicholas County High School and technical education center will be constructed at the Glade Creek Business Park.
The state expects to pay about $18 million of the total cost.
Capito chairs the Senate’s Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
“I look forward to continuing working with our partners in the Administration to provide even more funds upon approval of the cost-share adjustment,” Capito said in a Friday evening statement. “This is an important step in flood recovery, and I’m glad to deliver this funding today.”
Proud to announced more than $131 million from @fema to help rebuild Richwood Middle School, @RichwoodHigh, & Summersville Middle School following the 2016 floods.
— Shelley Moore Capito (@SenCapito) January 31, 2020
Once the new Nicholas County High School building is completed, the county will retrofit the current Nicholas High building and convert it into a new school for Summersville Elementary.
Manchin said the release of the funds also means the total damage in the state from the 2016 flood has exceeded a key threshold.
“With these awards, West Virginia has exceeded FEMA’s threshold to modify the cost-share agreement from the current 75% federal-25% state to 90% federal-10% state,” Manchin said. As with all Major Disaster Declarations, this cost-share adjustment requires the approval of the President of the United States. If granted, this would be applied retroactively and result in millions of dollars in additional federal funds to support the ongoing recovery in West Virginia.”
In light of today’s announcement, I encourage the President to review our cost-share agreement and approve the adjustment from the current 75% federal-25% state to 90% federal-10% state so that these communities have the federal support they need and deserve. #WVFlood
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) January 31, 2020
FEMA has allocated more than $52 million for a new Herbert Hoover High School in Kanawha County.