Governor seeks federal disaster assistance
Published 3:00 am Friday, January 15, 2016
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Gov. Robert Bentley has requested federal disaster assistance for counties impacted by the severe storms last month.
That request could help offset more than $1.785 million in anticipated road and bridge repairs throughout Pike County, Troy and Brudndige.
Bentley announced Thursday that 39 counties will receive assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The governor declared a state of emergency amid widespread flash flooding that followed several days of intense weather throughout the Southeast beginning Dec. 24.
Counties to receive assistance include Autauga, Barbour, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, DeKalb, Elmore, Escambia, Fayette, Franklin, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Lamar, Lawrence, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Pike, Perry, Russell, St Clair, Walker and Winston.
The requeest comes less than week after representatives of FEMA and the Alabama EMA came to Pike County to assess damage locally.
“We have 175 sites on the list,” said Pike County Engineer Russell Oliver. “And our estimated cost to repair them right now is $1,394,673.”
Of those sites, 11 remained closed on Thursday.
In addition to the county maintained roads and bridges, nine sites in Brundidge have been identified and repair costs estimated at $27,350; in the City of Troy, 13 sites with repair estimates of $363,431. And roadways like U.S. 231 near the Pea River; Highway 93 between Banks and Brundidge; and a section of U.S. 29, all managed by Alabama Department of Transportation, were closed due to water damage as well.
The Public Assistance Grant Program provides assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures. It also includes repair, replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and infrastructure.