More than $28 million in federal funding to fix roads and bridges damaged by flooding is heading to West Virginia.
U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito and Rep. Evan Jenkins announced the funding Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The state Department of Transportation will receive $15.6 million for various projects, the U.S. Forest Service will receive $12.4 million for work in five counties, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will receive $213,000 for projects in Greenbrier County.
The flood damage occurred in June 2016 and October 2017.
Manchin said the repairs are critically needed “so our communities can continue to bounce back from these floods.”
The Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency want to remind flood victims who haven’t applied for assistance that a deadline for applying for assistance is approaching.
The SBA and FEMA deadline for accepting flood victim applicants is Oct. 17th. Richard Daigle, SBA’s Public Affairs Specialist, says many who were impacted by flash flooding in northern counties of West Virginia this summer have already applied.
FEMA has already distributed more than 2 million dollars in grants to community members throughout affected counties. The federal disaster relief agency reports two of the three operating centers – those in Marion and Marshall counties – will close next week. The Wetzel County disaster center at Hundred High School will remain open for the time being.
As rain continues to fall throughout southeastern Texas from hurricane Harvey, Governor Jim Justice announced West Virginia is prepared to send resources to assist with emergency efforts, including members of the West Virginia National Guard. Meanwhile, disaster assistance continues in northern counties that experiences flooding in late July.
“West Virginia stands ready, willing and able to provide first responders to assist our fellow Americans in Texas and in other areas along the Gulf Coast as they continue to deal with the massive flooding and devastating damage being caused by Tropical Storm Harvey,” Governor Justice said in a press release.
No requests have been received, but the director of state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Jimmy Gianato reports resources like swift-water rescue teams are being coordinated.
The Home Front
Thomas Kempton, a public information specialist with FEMA, said while many of his colleagues are either enroute or already in Texas, he was dispatched late last week from his home in Anchorage, Alaska, to Marshall and Wetzel counties to help communities hard-hit by flooding a month ago.
Credit Glynis Board / West Virginia Public Broacasting
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West Virginia Public Broacasting
FEMA, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, as well as other experts are on hand till there’s no longer a need.
“We’re here in McMechen, West Virginia,” Kempton said standing in the Marshall County Disaster Recovery Center which is set up in the Bishop Donahue High School gymnasium. “We have representatives from the Small Business Administration, FEMA and experts to help with mitigation.”
Kempton also came to West Virginia last summer after June flooding left 23 dead and devastated homes and communities. While the 2016 floods were more extensive, he says some aspects of the recovering communities look very similar.
“What strikes me about West Virginia is the resiliency of the people. These are people that are used to relying on their neighbors, they’re used to pulling together as a community.”
Kempton recalled working with residents who had trouble proving they owned their flooded homes because the properties had been in the family for six generation.
“So often in different parts of the country you don’t see that kind of solidarity and cohesiveness that you do in West Virginia,” Kempton said. “People here really do reach out and help each other.”
The flip side of self-reliance is that people sometimes resist accepting help. Kempton said that can be dangerous with threats like mold and an oncoming winter.
Credit Glynis Board / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Low interest SBA disaster relief loans are available to residents in affected counties as well as businesses in affected and surrounding counties.
How to Find Help
Meanwhile, federal aid workers are still assisting West Virginians struggling after July 2017 flooding in the northern part of the state.
So far this year Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports 592 disaster assistance registrations statewide. $1.5 million dollars in assistance grants has been approved. More than a million has already been distributed to community members. Residents in Marshall county have received $353,000 — more than $300,000 of that for housing claims.
Residents can also get help by visiting Disaster Recovery Centers in Wetzel or Marshall counties, by calling the FEMA helpline 800-621-3362, or registering online:
Bishop Donahue High School
325 Logan St.
McMechen, WV, 26040
Marshall County
Hundred High School
3490 Hornet Highway Hundred, WV 26575
Wetzel County
Days and Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Disaster loans are available to residents, organizations and businesses through the U.S. Small Business Administration. FEMA grants are limited to about a $30,000 maximum award, but residents could qualify for low interest loans to help replace personal items, damages that aren’t covered by insurance or FEMA, or even economic disruptions from the flood.
The deadline to apply for those loans in October 17th, 2017.
SBA Loan applications are processed in 10-15 days:
State officials and emergency responders are beginning to tally up the damage from flooding that hit northern and north central communities late last week and over the weekend.
The Division of Highways said Tuesday its assessing road damage in 11 counties in the region. The agency estimates 200 roads suffered some kind of damage in the July 28 and 29 storms, totaling nearly $7 million.
The hardest hit counties in terms of road damage include Wetzel, Ohio and Marshall Counties respectively, which each experienced more than $1 million in damage. They’re followed closely by Tucker and Harrison counties that each received more than $500,000 worth of damage.
Major General James Hoyer of the West Virginia National Guard said five schools were impacted and so far, between 600 and 700 homes have been damaged, but that number could increase.
Eight counties are under a state of emergency, but Hoyer said Tuesday he’d like to see that number expanded to 11.
WEBHoyer.mp3
Listen to an extended interview with Major Gen. Jame Hoyer.
The latest high water comes just over a year after devastating floods in southern and central West Virginia that killed 23 people. Hoyer said the state is still recovering from that event in the midst of new damage.
“We’ve still got people focused on that devastating, epic event we had last June, but it doesn’t matter to someone whose home was damaged over the last couple of days. That’s the primary focus,” he said. “So, we from a state perspective have to be able to manage all those things together.”
Hoyer said Tuesday, National Guard members are focused on clean-up efforts and helping communities restore their infrastructure, like water and sewer lines.
Residents in northern West Virginia pulled together Sunday to begin cleaning up from flooding as Gov. Jim Justice visited areas to see the damage from recent storms.
Media reported Justice visited Mannington to survey flood damage from Friday and Saturday as well as other areas that were flooded from storms on July 23.
Justice arrived at the Mannington Fire Department in the afternoon and then drove by homes with Mayor Jim Taylor and Marion County Sheriff Jim Riffle to survey the damage.
Taylor says flooding from heavy rains devastated the area. It caused lots of property damage, but there were no reports of deaths or severe injuries.
Meanwhile, during a stop at the McMechen Volunteer Fire Department in Wheeling, Justice told those working on recovery efforts the July 23 flooding not to do it all alone, but to “lean on use to help you, too.”
