Gov. Lee seeks federal disaster declaration, citing flooding and severe storm damages

March 22-- Mar. 22--NASHVILLE -- Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is asking President Donald Trump to issue a major disaster declaration for the state, citing a $151.3 million impact so far caused by February's heavy rains and flooding.

Lee wants federal recovery recovery relief made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Public Assistance program for 58 of the state's 95 counties, including Hamilton County, which were impacted by severe storms from Feb. 6.

More counties could be added with assessments continuing along with spending on damaged infrastructure, roads and through state emergency responses.

"The severe flooding has left many Tennessee jurisdictions unsure about how to fund the unexpected need to repair infrastructure and pay for their emergency measures," and Gov. Lee said in a news release. "I believe we have demonstrated the need for federal assistance is necessary and if granted, will lessen some of the financial burden on local resources for flood response and recovery."

Storms impacted 83 of the state's 95 counties. Besides Hamilton, other Southeast Tennessee counties impacted include Marion, Rhea and Sequatchie counties.

On March 8, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Director Patrick Sheehan of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency FEMA sent teams to Tennessee to start joint preliminary damage assessments and gauge flood damage amounts at the county level.

In initial estimates, counties demonstrated they had met or surpassed federally-established loss thresholds to qualify for relief through FEMA.

Qualifying losses for county, municipal, state agency, and utility infrastructure as well as emergency expenditures totaled $68.3 million due to the flooding and severe storms.

"We expect to add more counties to both FEMA's preliminary damage assessments and to the Major Disaster Declaration request," Sheehan said. "As flood waters recede in other impacted counties, we are confident with additional time, more damages will surface which will meet and exceed the federal per capita loss requirements."

FEMA's Public Assistance program reimburses costs to local and state governments, utilities, and certain private, nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures and debris debris removal, repairs to roads and bridges, water control facilities, buildings and equipment in a federally-declared disaster.

The state's initial request includes these counties: Anderson, Bedford, Bledsoe, Blount, Campbell, Carter, Cheatham, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Decatur, Dekalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fentress, Gibson, Giles, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Hawkins, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Lauderdale, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Marshall, McNairy, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Perry, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Tipton, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne and Weakley.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has already received $10 million in emergency relief funds from the Federal Highway Administration to help speed repairs to the state's highway network.

TDOT's preliminary estimates of damages from February storms total more than $83 million. The department has already started 32 emergency contracts totaling $56 million with state officials working their FHWA counterparts for cost reimbursements.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is also coordinating with partners to assist farmers following the excessive rainfall. Flooding and washouts in low-lying areas and river bottomlands, especially in in West Tennessee, have impacted winter wheat and cover crops planted to protect against soil loss.

Farmers in counties experiencing a crop loss of 30 percent or more may qualify for a USDA Secretarial Disaster Designation, making them and farmers in adjacent counties eligible to apply for low-interest emergency loans.

State Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher said both the governor and he have seen "firsthand the impact of this flooding on farmers. We will continue to work with USDA to ensure that damage assessments are conducted, and we are prepared to support agricultural disaster designations where appropriate."

With planting season "upon us," Hatcher said, "it's critical that these farms return to operation as soon as possible."

Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow on Twitter @AndySher1.

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