CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Patrick Morrisey says the state is appealing FEMA’s decision to not grant a major disaster declaration for Boone and Logan counties after the devastating June weather.
Those counties were ravaged by severe storms on June 22 and 23. Meanwhile, FEMA did rubber-stamp $4.5 million to Lewis and Upshur counties for the flooding that transpired in July, along with approving Ritchie and Pleasant counties’ requests recently. Three other counties are awaiting a response from FEMA with relief requests for the July flooding as well.
“Our administration remains fully committed to fighting for the families and communities impacted by these devastating June storms,” Morrisey said. “While we are grateful to the federal administration for their rapid approval earlier of our disaster declaration for Upshur and Lewis counties, we know the folks in Boone and Logan counties still desperately need relief.”
FEMA received a formal request from West Virginia for Individual Assistance (IA) for families dealing with losses from the flooding, and also a plea for Hazard Mitigation (HM) funding to prepare communities for future disasters. According to the governor’s release, FEMA notified the state of the denial on August 3.
The West Virginia Emergency Management Division (WVEMD) is on a 30-day deadline, retroactive to August 3, to provide more documentation, damage evaluations, and other information to FEMA for federal officials to reconsider.
In the meantime, Morrisey’s office advised Boone and Logan residents to reach out to their local county emergency management agency for immediate needs.
For those wanting more information about West Virginia’s appeal of FEMA’s denial or about Individual Assistance, Morrisey’s office said the WVEMD number is 304-558-5380.