FEMA denies Moore’s disaster assistance request after Western MD flooding

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Gov. Wes Moore said Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied his request for disaster assistance to help cover the state and local response to devastating flooding in Western Maryland in May.

Moore said the damage from the floods, which forced responders to evacuate more than 200 elementary school students and staff by rescue boat and inundated homes and businesses with floodwater, “clearly” met the agency’s criteria for disaster assistance.

The state is now expected to appeal the denial and provide the agency with more data to support its request, and it has 30 days to do so, according to a copy of the denial letter that FEMA sent the governor.

David Richardson, the acting FEMA director, didn’t provide a specific reason in his letter to the governor for why his agency denied the request.

“Based on our review of all the information available, it has been determined that supplemental federal assistance under the Stafford Act is not warranted,” Richardson said in his letter. “Therefore, I must inform you that your request for a major disaster declaration is denied.”

The Stafford Act governs federal disaster response activities, including the process by which governors can request emergency assistance for local jurisdictions from the president.

Moore had asked for a federal disaster declaration to unlock funding to reimburse emergency response activities during and after the floods, including repairs to damaged public infrastructure and facilities, according to a press release from Maryland’s congressional delegation. His request also included grant funding to help the state prepare for future flooding and natural disasters.

In a statement Wednesday, Moore said he requested disaster assistance for Allegany and Garrett counties about a month after extreme rainfall in the region caused Georges Creek, a Potomac River tributary, to overflow into several towns.

An assessment from responders and officials from the Maryland Department of Emergency Management, local governments and FEMA itself determined that the flooding led to nearly $16 million in emergency response costs and damage, including to more than 200 homes, several businesses, roads and bridges, railroads, sewer systems, drinking water and public utilities, according to the governor’s office.

Among the numerous ongoing concerns has been extensive damage to sewer systems in the county. Raw sewage has continued to enter waterways in the Georges Creek region, prompting warnings for area residents to avoid swimming, fishing or otherwise coming into contact with the water in certain areas.

The governor contended that the president has historically awarded disaster assistance if the damage assessment process showed that costs exceed certain thresholds at the state and local levels — which are about $11.7 million for Maryland and $321,500 for Allegany County, according to the governor’s office.

Jason Bennett, the Allegany County administrator, said the local government will likely have to begin borrowing money if it has to spend more than $3 million to $5 million to help cover the emergency response and recovery.

The county has already estimated that damages have totaled about $78 million, which includes the nearly $16 million in estimated emergency response costs, Bennett said.

He said that while the county is “disappointed” that FEMA denied the state’s request for disaster assistance, local officials will be working to help residents recover from the flooding regardless of where the money is coming from.

(This story has been updated.)