Flood aid less for some

MAT-SU — Although the federal government has agreed that the September floods were a disaster, and will help cover government costs for recover, that help will not include individual assistance.

According to a press release from the state, that means Mat-Su Borough residents whose homes were flooded are eligible for exactly half as much help as they would have been through what are called individual assistance grants (IA) grants.

“The state pursued a federal IA declaration in order to provide a greater amount of financial assistance to individuals and families impacted by the storm. The federal IA maximum grant amount is $31,900. The maximum state IA grant amount is $15,950,” according to a press release from the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

Still yet to be decided is whether federal funds will help with damage done to Alaska businesses in the flooding. The state is applying for a grant through the federal Small Business Administration.

“We expect a rapid response to this request by SBA. In past disasters, they have provided very efficient and effective service to our state,” John Madden, director of the state’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, says in the state press release.

The federal government will help with costs to local governments, though. In an announcement last week, borough Emergency Manager Casey Cook said the borough intends to seek $10 million through that program.

On Nov. 30, borough staff began meeting with the state and representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to determine damages, document repair costs and develop final estimates.

Cook said residents are encouraged to maintain contact with the state of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management regarding their applications for disaster assistance funds. Here is that contact info: flood.alaska.gov/index.htm.

Part of the federal declaration mandates that some funds be dedicated to post-disaster hazard mitigation to minimize future damages or destruction from similar events. The borough’s Hazard Mitigation Task Force has begun to compile a list of possible hazard mitigation projects that will be submitted under two different FEMA mitigation programs.

The borough wants to hear from residents before initiating a mitigation project. People are asked to direct thoughts on mitigation projects to their community councils for submission to the borough’s Division of Emergency Management.

For more information, contact casey.cook@matsugov.us or call 373-8812.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.