The 27 county Federal Disaster area for flooding apparently won’t be helping local residents. According to the Journal Courier, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials announced yesterday that the State of Illinois’ request for federal assistance to help individuals or business owners has been denied by the federal government. FEMA officials said that they had determined the severity and magnitude of the event wasn’t enough to warrant the designation of individual assistance.
State officials have already begun the appeal process. Businesses, local governments, and local non-profits have until October 19th to file necessary paperwork to qualify for state assistance with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. Currently, President Donald Trump’s September 19th disaster declaration only covers payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health, payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas, and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities, as well as payment of 75% of approved costs for mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from future disasters from occurring.
