Gov. Rick Scott to appeal decision
Apparently, the federal government didn't find Tropical Storm Isaac's flooding in Palm Beach County to be that big of a "disaster" after all.
Even after the storm swamped roads, closed schools and flooded dozens of homes in central and western Palm Beach County, the Federal Emergency Management Agency this week rejected Florida's request for a major disaster declaration.
That declaration would have opened the door for federal aid to help Palm Beach County and six other affected counties pay for the emergency response to drenching rains from Isaac — which grew into a hurricane after brushing South Florida.
Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday sent a letter to FEMA saying he would be appealing the decision. He also added three more counties, including Broward County, to the list of counties seeking federal aid for Isaac.
Palm Beach County officials were hoping for the federal government to pick up the tab for more than 80 percent of an estimated $6 million in Isaac-related costs local governments and flood control agencies incurred during the storm.
"We were very surprised and very disappointed," said Vince Bonvento, assistant county administrator, who coordinates the county's emergency response. "I felt that there were not going to be any issues."
In the wake of the storm, Palm Beach County government and other local agencies initially projected more than $90 million in damage from Isaac's flooding; at one point estimating that more than 60 homes were flooded.
The state sought federal help for nearly $27 million in public property damage and emergency response costs related to Isaac in seven counties, just above the $25 million threshold that typically triggers federal aid.
But FEMA's review of the storm's affects watered down those estimates, ultimately determining that the local impacts didn't meet disaster-level thresholds and that "supplemental federal assistance is not necessary."
"Based on our review of all of the information available, it has been determined that the damage from this event was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state and affected local governments," FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate wrote in his letter to the governor.
Scott in his appeal plans to add Broward, Franklin and Martin counties to the list of those seeking federal aid for Isaac. That increases the state's total estimate for storm costs eligible for reimbursement to nearly $37 million, including about $6 million for Broward.
The estimated damage to home flooding in Palm Beach County was still deemed too low to qualify for FEMA help for homeowners, according to Bonvento.
Isaac's lingering bands of rains on Aug. 26 and 27 dumped 15 inches of rain on central and western Palm Beach County. That was too much water too fast for South Florida's regional flood control system; resulting in floodwaters lingering for days in Loxahatchee and other hard-hit areas.
The state has 30 days to appeal FEMA's decision.
Scott in his letter to FEMA Thursday said his appeal of FEMA's ruling is intended "to ensure Florida communities have the full capability to recover from Isaac's damage."
abreid@tribune.com, 561-228-5504 or Twitter@abreidnews
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