By Paul Tuthill
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-984230.mp3
Greenfield, MA – A year of natural disasters that have included blizzards, droughts, flooding, tornadoes and now Hurricane Irene, have impacted different parts of the country. Impacted , too, have been the finances of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA says it must take money it was planning to spend on earlier disaster recovery projects to deal with current needs. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.
When the Deerfield River swelled by rain from Tropical Storm Irene rose out of its banks Sunday, it flooded out Greenfield Auto Salvage, a sixty year old business. Owner Tony Ciano estimates his loss at 300 thousand dollars and with no flood insurance he says he's on the hook..
In the weeks ahead, people like Ciano who saw their homes and businesses damaged by Tropical Storm Irene will likely look to FEMA to help make them whole.
FEMA announced this week that because its disaster relief fund had fallen below 1 billion dollars it would freeze funding for some disaster recovery projects in places like Iowa, Missouri and Alabama. The agency said immediate needs would receive priority .
FEMA spokesman Danial Llargues said money will be available to help people recovery from Tropical Storm Irene when the time comes.
FEMA provides grants and through the Small Business Administration, low interest loans, to cover un-insured losses. Llargues says people should document their damage, by notifying local officials and their insurance companies.
President Obama has already issued a disaster declaration in New York. In Massachusetts teams will be in the field over the next few days to compile a damage estimate, according to Peter Judge, spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
In Massachusetts, FEMA is still paying disaster claims from the June 1st tornadoes. More than 4 thousand 700 people registered with FEMA and more than 11 million dollars has been paid out in grants and loans.
The mayor of Springfield, Domenic Sarno, said he hopes the funding freeze announced by FEMA won't hold up reimbursements he's seeking for tornado recovery expenses..
Because of the federal disaster declaration for the June tornadoes, communities in Hampden and Worcester counties in Massachusetts are eligible to seek FEMA payments for such things as debris removal, and repairs to public property and infrastructure.
Federal funding for rebuilding projects may hinge on what Congress does about FEMA's budget.