Governors seek extraordinary federal aid for winter storms

<br>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ Governors of three mid-western states are asking for extraordinary federal aid after winter storm caused around $200 million in damages. <br><br>In separate letters sent

Saturday, February 16th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ Governors of three mid-western states are asking for extraordinary federal aid after winter storm caused around $200 million in damages.

In separate letters sent this week to President Bush, the governors of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma are arguing that the storms had a devastating economic effect on their already cash-strapped governments.

The federal government typically pays 75 percent of public disaster aid, with state and local governments picking up the rest. Kansas and Oklahoma are asking for full federal relief. Missouri is seeking a 90 percent payment.

``There is a realistic concern within the state, that without this adjustment, we will not be able to recover from this disaster for an extended period of time,'' Missouri Gov. Bob Holden said in a letter released Friday.

The late January storm coated trees and power lines with inches of ice and left sizable snow accumulations in some areas. At one point, the electricity was out for 412,000 Missouri customers and another 255,000 Oklahoma homes and businesses.

Bush already has declared 32 Oklahoma counties, 24 Kansas counties and 26 Missouri counties eligible for public assistance, which pays for such thing as debris removal and repairs to publically owned utilities.

The new request for extraordinary federal aid is being evaluated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency before being considered by Bush.

``It depends on the severity of the disaster,'' said Linda Winkler, a spokeswoman for FEMA's regional office in Kansas City.

The federal government granted 90 percent aid for Missouri after flooding along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers in 1993. Oklahoma received full fedaral aid for ice storms that struck one year ago, said Michelann Ooten, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management.

As of Jan. 1, the federal government adopted new guidelines for determining whether states can receive more than the usual 75 percent disaster aid.

One criteria sets a minimum damage cost of $102 per person, based on the state's population. Another criteria considers the impact of any other disasters in the state during the past year, FEMA officials said.

Officials in Oklahoma and Kansas both cited their past disasters. Without full federal aid, ``the economic impact to the state will be extremely devastating,'' Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating said in a letter Friday.

``We've had a serious of years in which we've had quite a number of disasters _ tornadoes, flooding or something _ and a portion of that always comes out of the state funds and local funds,'' said Joy Moser, spokeswoman for Kansas Emergency Management.''

Missouri didn't cite past disasters but rather pointed to a budgetary disaster, claiming the recession already has hit harder there than in most other states.

For example, Missouri had a larger percentage decline in employment last year than all other states except Hawaii, Mississippi, Georgia and Oregon, Holden said in his letter.

The definition of disaster could contain some flexibility, said Curt Musgrave, director of FEMA's Readiness, Response and Recovery Division at the Kansas City office.

``It could be interpreted probably any way you'd like to look at it,'' he said. But ``generally speaking, it's talking about specific natural or manmade disasters.''

He said there is no timetable for FEMA, or Bush, to make a decision.