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Rahall calls for fed disaster declaration in wake of stormBLUEFIELD, Jul 10, 2012 (Bluefield Daily Telegraph - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A West Virginia lawmaker is urging President Barack Obama to consider a federal disaster declaration for much of southern West Virginia. "Since the storm hit, I have traveled to several counties in my congressional district, and have seen first-hand the extreme difficulties being endured by our citizens in what is now the second week for many without power," U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., said. "Homes and businesses may still be in the dark, but it's not hard to see that tight family budgets have suffered big hits. I personally spoke with the president and have contacted top FEMA officials to press for the full range of assistance our residents and businesses are entitled to under a disaster declaration." However, crews with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, can't begin helping local residents impacted by the storm until West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin requests -- and Obama approves -- a major disaster declaration. The same request would have to be made by Gov. Bob McDonnell for the Southwest Virginia counties also impacted by the recent storms and power outages. In West Virginia, crews with the state Department of Homeland Security and FEMA officials will begin joint preliminary damage assessments today from the storm and recent power outages. Diane Luensmann, a spokesman for Rahall, said Rahall's office has received several phone calls from concerned citizens wanting to know when FEMA will be deployed to the region to help. However, FEMA can't provide its full range of federal disaster relief assistance until Obama issues a major disaster declaration for the region. Luensmann said Rahall is urging Obama and FEMA officials to consider the special circumstances in the state given the state-wide power outages that resulted from multiple storms and the continuing extreme heat, as well as the high population of seniors and families on fixed incomes. "There may not have been as extensive physical damage to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure as in other disasters West Virginians have endured, but there were still significant financial losses and costs incurred by our residents, businesses and whole communities because of the power outages, and those costs are widespread," Rahall said. -- Contact Charles Owens at [email protected] ___ (c)2012 the Bluefield Daily Telegraph (Bluefield, W.Va.) Visit the Bluefield Daily Telegraph (Bluefield, W.Va.) at bdtonline.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |