Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 12, 1994 TAG: 9403120165
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Bedford and Lynchburg, Bedford County and most of the New River Valley were included in the declaration, which means they can apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for up to 75 percent of the uninsured cost of repairing public facilities and removing debris, and for emergency efforts to protect public health and safety, such as setting up shelters.
Certain nonprofit organizations, including some electric cooperatives, also may apply for repair funds.
Aid requests for Franklin County and Salem, however, "did not meet the criteria for a designation," said FEMA spokesman Carl Suchoucki.
"Basically, the criteria was that the existing resources within a jurisdiction have been overwhelmed to the point where those resources are exhausted."
Those localities could be included later, said Mike LaCivita, spokesman for the state Department of Emergency Services.
The department estimated that $31 million of the damage from the Feb. 8-12 storm was not insured. There is no cap on the total grant amount, Suchoucki said.
"We make funding available in the amount that it takes to return to predisaster conditions," he said.
FEMA and the state Department of Emergency Services will brief state agencies Tuesday on what is covered by the program and how to apply, LaCivita said.
A similar session is planned Wednesday for the state's electric cooperatives.
The disaster field office then will offer briefings in Farmville, Lebanon, Lynchburg, Radford, Richmond and Warsaw, LaCivita said.
Gov. George Allen requested the declaration Feb. 25 for the storm that, at its peak, put 273,000 homes and businesses out of power.
Freezing rain, sleet and snow brought branches onto roads and power lines.
The thaw seemed to make things worse. As trees bent over by snow popped back into place and took more power lines out, the number of customers without power actually increased. Giant potholes appeared on roads and bridges.
The storm also caused flooding in some places.
"The effort of cleaning up the storm damage and effecting repairs has placed an enormous strain on the resources of virtually all the local governments which comprise Southwest Virginia," Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, said Friday.
"This is good news for the thousands of people affected by this disaster," Boucher said.
Areas eligible to apply for money are: the cities of Bedford and Lynchburg and the counties of Alleghany, Amelia, Appomattox, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buchanan, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline, Carroll, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Craig, Cumberland, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Essex, Floyd, Fluvanna, Giles, Gloucester, Goochland, Grayson, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Lee, Louisa, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, Montgomery, Nelson, New Kent, Northumberland, Nottoway, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Pulaski, Richmond, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Surry, Sussex, Tazewell, Washington, Westmoreland, Wise and Wythe.
State emergency officials also are talking with FEMA about compensation for a March 1-3 storm, LaCivita said.
by CNB