Now that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied federal disaster assistance to Harrisburg and the other storm ravaged areas of southern Illinois, FEMA officials say the state is free to work directly with other agencies.FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate says the state is free to seek disaster assistance from the Small Business Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, The Department of Agriculture, or any other agency. Meanwhile FEMA spokesman Mark Peterson says FEMA is still determining whether the state qualifies for public assistance to offset taxpayer expenses – which requires at least 17-million dollars state wide in expenses and damages. In denying the governor’s request for a federal disaster declaration, Peterson says private insurance and other state resources are enough for Harrisburg and the other communities to recover without FEMA’s help.
US Senator Dick Durbin and other lawmakers plan to meet with Fugate Wednesday in Washington, D.C. A Durbin spokesperson says the senator wants to know how the decision was made and plans to ask FEMA to reconsider some elements.