Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio is appealing the federal government’s denial of his request for a presidential disaster declaration for eight counties that were affected by storms, flooding, and tornadoes earlier this year. The damages in Belmont, Monroe, Jefferson, Guernsey, Noble, Washington, Morgan, and Meigs counties exceeded the federal threshold of $21.7 million required for public disaster assistance in Ohio, with initial estimates reaching $33.8 million. Despite this, FEMA rejected the request for aid in June.
DeWine sent a second letter to President Joe Biden detailing the damage and emphasizing the need for federal assistance, citing the severe impact on critical infrastructure in low tax revenue areas. If granted, the presidential disaster declaration would provide funding for infrastructure repairs, debris removal, and emergency protective measures for state and local governments, as well as specific non-profit organizations.
The Governor is urging for federal aid to help with the costly repairs in the affected regions, which are beyond the capabilities of the state and local governments to handle on their own. The approval of the disaster declaration would provide much-needed relief to the communities struggling to recover from the natural disasters that struck between April 1 and 4.
Source
Photo credit www.cleveland.com