Beshear asks Obama to pay costs for storm’s first week

Gov. Steve Beshear

FRANKFORT – Gov. Steve Beshear wants the federal government to pick up 100 percent of the costs for expenses incurred during the first seven days of the winter storm that has paralyzed much of the state.

He also is asking for the Kentucky National Guard to be placed on federal status.

That would leave the Guard under his control, but the federal status would allow for the federal government to pay for expenses like payroll.

Beshear made his request Monday in letters to President Obama, seeking a federal declaration that Kentucky is a major disaster.

Under a typical major disaster declaration, the federal government reimburses 75 percent of local and state governmental expenditures on items such as overtime for workers, debris removal equipment and the local purchase of generators.

But Beshear is asking the federal government to pick up 100 percent of the costs for expenses incurred during the first seven days of the storm.

After that time, the reimbursement rate would be 75 percent federal government and 25 percent state and local governments.

Beshear said costs of the storm, believed to be the worst natural disaster in modern Kentucky history, already have exceeded $45 million and are expected to climb.

Last Wednesday, Obama granted Beshear’s request for an emergency declaration – the same day it was requested. It allowed for immediate federal recovery efforts.

“Beginning on Jan. 26, 2009, and continuing, ice, snow and rain paralyzed the commonwealth,” Beshear said in the letter Monday to Obama.

“Fallen trees, debris and power outages have left extremely large groups of people, including the elderly and medically fragile, without essential services. Fatalities have occurred in multiple counties with strong preliminary evidence directly attributing them to this disaster.”

So far, 93 counties and 71 cities in Kentucky have declared emergencies.

Beshear is requesting that the following counties be included in a disaster declaration for public assistance and direct federal assistance: Allen, Anderson, Ballard, Barren, Bath, Bourbon, Boyd, Boyle, Breathitt, Breckinridge, Bracken, Bullitt, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Campbell, Carlisle, Carroll, Carter, Christian, Clark, Clay, Crittenden, Daviess, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Fulton, Garrard, Graves, Grayson, Green, Greenup, Hardin, Harrison, Hart, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Larue, Lawrence, Lee, Lewis, Lincoln, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, Madison, Magoffin, Marion, Marshall, Martin, Mason, McCracken, McLean, Meade, Menifee, Mercer, Metcalfe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Nicholas, Ohio, Oldham, Owen, Owsley, Perry, Powell, Pendleton, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Todd, Trigg, Union, Warren, Washington, Webster and Woodford counties.

“We are beginning to make substantial progress in getting communities and people back on their feet,” Beshear said. “But the scope and severity of this crisis means we still have a lot of work to do and substantial federal assistance will be necessary to help us move forward.”

–Jack Brammer