Weather Pattern at Issue as Governor Pence Files Appeal for Federal Disaster Assistance

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Indianapolis – Governor Mike Pence today filed an appeal for federal disaster assistance for government and non-profit organizations that provide essential public services in 19 counties for severe storms and flooding June 7 to July 20, 2015.

 

In a letter dated today, October 7, 2015, Governor Pence argues that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) previous ruling of two weather patterns in June and July is incorrect and documentation provides support for one weather pattern, which should make Indiana eligible for the federal grants.

 

Governor Pence’s letter reads: “FEMA’s determination was erroneous and Indiana meets the requirements for a major disaster declaration.” Further, the governor states that FEMA’s decision to declare two weather patterns is “inconsistent with how FEMA assessed this same weather pattern in other states as it tracked across the country” and has “no basis for dividing the weather pattern into FEMA’s two distinct incident periods.”

 

Included in the documentation is:

  • A memorandum from the National Weather Service (NWS);
  • Email reports regarding damage to dams in Indiana from the continuous rainfall;
  • Media reports concerning damage that occurred during FEMA’s excluded days; and
  • Numerous weather reports and alerts related to the severe storms sweeping through the state on the excluded days.

 

Counties included in the request are Adams, Allen, Benton, Brown, Clark, Fulton, Huntington, Jay, Jefferson, Jennings, Marshall, Newton, Pulaski, Scott, Vermillion, Wabash, Warren, Washington and Wells. Governor Pence also reserved the right to request additional counties.

 

At least 10 deaths in June and July were connected to the storms, and Indiana presented FEMA with more than $11 million in confirmed damage.

 

Grants of this type, called public assistance, are for governments and certain non-profit organizations that provide essential government services. These grants will pay 75 percent of eligible expenses for damage to roads, bridges, utilities, buildings’ contents and equipment, water control facilities, parks and recreational facilities, and others, as well as debris removal and emergency protective measures like traffic control and rescue operations in the aforementioned counties.

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