Okla. Gov. Appeals Denial for Aid

Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry has filed a formal appeal on behalf of Oklahoma ice storm victims, asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reverse its recent decision denying individual assistance to those hard hit by last month’s historic winter weather. The December ice storm left more than 640,000 homes and businesses without power and caused 29 deaths. On Jan. 9, Gov. Henry requested individual assistance for two of the state’s hardest hit areas, Tulsa and Oklahoma counties, but FEMA denied the request, claiming state, local and volunteer organizations could address the damages. In its assistance request, the state cites multiple disasters in 2007, ice storm damages to homes and businesses, the fiscal impact to businesses closed by power outages and the continuing health hazard of remaining storm debris, among other things. An individual assistance declaration would make Oklahomans eligible for assistance with housing repairs or temporary housing and disaster unemployment assistance. It would also provide for U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest loans for individuals and businesses and grants for serious needs and necessary disaster expenses not met by other programs.