State officials pledge to find money for flooded bridge, road repairs

By Aaron Gould Sheinin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

State officials vowed Sunday to find the money to repair and rebuild roads, bridges and other infrastructure swamped or destroyed in last week’s flooding.

While the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Saturday that nine Georgia counties are now eligible for federal assistance for public recovery projects, Washington provides only 75 percent of the total cost. The rest must come from the state, or, in some cases, local governments.

The counties now eligible for money for infrastructure are Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cobb, Douglas, Gwinnett, Paulding, Stephens and Walker. But FEMA officials said Sunday that more counties could be added. Residents and business owners in 17 counties, meanwhile, including those nine, are eligible for a wide range of direct federal assistance for rebuilding or repairing homes and businesses and other needs. The federal government pays 100 percent of those costs.

With state government mired in a deepening budget crisis, dollars are short to find the 25 percent match for the infrastructure repairs. The state has about $35 million unaccounted for in its reserve account. The budget across the board is down more than $3 billion over the past few years as dwindling tax revenues have devastated state coffers.

But, the chairman of the House’s budget-writing committee said Sunday helping Georgians rebuild is a priority.

“I hope we’ll work together and find the match we need and take care of those folks in Atlanta,” said Rep. Ben Harbin (R-Evans), the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “We can’t expect Georgia to grow if we don’t help.”

Beyond the question of where the money comes from, state leaders must also figure out how to get it where it needs to go. The governor has some leeway in diverting money already budgeted, but Harbin said lawmakers might have to be involved as well.

But because the Legislature isn’t scheduled to return to session until January, their ability to act is somewhat limited. One option, Harbin said, is for the governor to call an emergency legislative session just to amend the state budget to meet this need.

If that doesn’t happen, Harbin hopes FEMA would accept a commitment from the state to act quickly once they return in January.

Bert Brantley, communications director for Gov. Sonny Perdue, said Sunday that it’s too early to say where the money will come from.

Once local recovery projects are approved by FEMA, the 75 percent federal portion will flow to the state, which will pass it on to local governments.

The total cost of the projects is unknown, although it could easily top $100 million. Last week, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin estimated that it could cost at least that much to repair the R.M. Clayton sewage treatment plant on the Chattahoochee.

Roads and bridges in Douglas, Cobb and Paulding counties suffered major damage as well.

The floods, which caused an estimated $500 million in total damage, killed nine.

FEMA, the state and local leaders in the nine eligible counties must now develop a project list. FEMA will review each project before committing funding.

In other recovery developments:

● FEMA has yet to declare a disaster in three counties that were on Perdue’s original request for federal assistance. Clayton, Crawford and Forsyth are not yet eligible for help from Washington.

Clayton County Police Chief Jeff Turner said while some creeks in the county and “several” homes have flooded, damage there has not come close to that in other counties.

“Compared to Douglas County or Cobb County, we were blessed,” he said.

Forsyth County Commissioner Jim Harrell said they still have many roads closed and some damage to the county’s greenway. Other damage has been limited, he said.

● FEMA and the state have opened more disaster recovery centers and additional locations will open this week.

Residents can get direct help with applying for federal aid at centers now open in Austell, Lithia Springs, Douglasville and in Cherokee County.

Additional centers will open Monday in Stephens, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Paulding, Walker, Gwinnett and Rockdale counties, and on Wednesday in DeKalb and Fulton counties.

● The boil water advisory has been lifted for Douglas County.

To get help

Residents and business owners in the following counties are eligible for federal financial assistance from FEMA: Bartow, Carroll,Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale Stephens and Walker.

To apply for assistance, go to www.DisasterAssistance.com, or call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing and speech impaired.