PROVIDENCE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency says 17,409 Rhode Island homeowners and businesses had registered as damaged by last week’s flooding as of Friday morning.
FEMA spokesman Leo Skinner said the agency had also approved $12 million in aid to homeowners and dispersed $8.9 million.
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Of the applications for assistance FEMA has received so far, the largest number came from Kent County (6,826), followed by Providence County (6,128); Washington County (3,118); Bristol County (807); and Newport County (530), Skinner said.
Also Friday, the governor’s office announced that President Barack Obama expanded his “major disaster deceleration” for Rhode Island to allow the state, local governments and some nonprofits to receive federal grants.
Skinner said the grants are intended to help pay for repairs to flood-damaged structures such as bridges, roadways and parks. The grants could also cover expenses associated with debris removal and certain emergency protective measures to prevent flooding.
Gov. Donald L. Carcieri had requested that Obama amend the declaration.
“This declaration and support from the federal government will allow the state and our cities and towns to begin the long road to recovery and rebuild Rhode Island,” Carcieri said. “As we continue to assess the damage to our infrastructure, our state and local facilities, and our environment, we expect the cost to exceed $100 million and perhaps as high as more than $200 million.”
The federal grants cover at least 75 percent of the costs associated with repairs, with the state determining how to cover the rest of the cost. Carcieri and the state’s congressional delegation have asked the federal government to pay the full cost.
“Federal assistance is critical to our recovery and to help militate against future severe storms and flooding,” he said. “State and local teams, in cooperation with the federal partners, are working to bring our state back from the devastation caused by this disaster.”
FEMA is operating two disaster recovery centers, one in Warwick and the other in Cranston. The agency says it expects to open additional centers to help guide Rhode Islanders though the process of getting government aid. That process starts with registering at fema.gov.
