Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 27, 1994                   TAG: 9402270087
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

ALLEN SEEKS ASSISTANCE FOR ICE STORM DAMAGE

Initial damage estimates from the state Department of Emergency Services put the cost of the Feb. 10-11 storm at about $56 million, with about $31 million of that amount uninsured.

The governor's request is for a major disaster declaration for four cities and 65 counties, largely covering central Virginia, Southside, the Northern Neck and Southwest Virginia.

"I have determined that the devastating winter storms earlier this month were of such severity and magnitude that effective financial response is beyond the capabilities of the state and the affected local governments and that supplementary assistance is necessary," Allen said.

The governor's office sent the request late Friday to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's regional office in Philadelphia, said David Hall, FEMA's regional leader for planning and operations.

Hall said FEMA will evaluate Allen's request and send it to President Clinton. He declined to say how long the process would take.

"We are working on putting together the analysis of that now, and we're not permitted to say when it will go to the White House because we don't want to get into political ramifications," Hall said.

"We are considering it with the greatest amount of speed that we can," he added.

Hall said assessing the impact of the ice storm, with its widespread and diverse types of damage, is more difficult than evaluating a hurricane or earthquake.

"How people were impacted in this event is not an obvious situation, not like a hurricane that leaves 200,000 people homeless," he said.

In evaluating the request, Hall said FEMA officials will consider such storm-related difficulties as blocked roads that kept emergency equipment from reaching citizens; debris caused by fallen trees; people without heat, electricity or water; and the governments' abilities to pay for the storm.

Allen has requested funds under FEMA's Public Assistance program. If approved, the program would allow the state, local governments and certain nonprofit organizations, including some electric co-ops, to recoup some of the storm's costs.

The program also provides money for the repair or the replacement of public properties - such as roads, bridges, buildings and parks - damaged in disasters.

FEMA and the state emergency services department would evaluate applications for money under the program, said Janet L. Clements, a department spokeswoman.

Allen requested assistance for the cities of Bedford, Bristol, Lynchburg and Salem, and for 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, Franklin, Giles, Gloucester, Goochland, Grayson, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, James City, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Lee, Louisa, Lunenberg, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, Montgomery, Nelson, New Kent, Northumberland, Nottoway, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Pulaski, Richmond, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Surry, Sussex, Tazewell, Washington, Westmoreland, Wise and Wythe.