Early Hurricane Florence Damage Estimates Top $1.2 billion

On Sept. 20, Governor McMaster sent a letter to South Carolina’s congressional delegation requesting their continued support as the state begins to focus on recovery efforts prior to expected flooding as a result of Hurricane Florence’s historic rainfall.

The governor’s letter also includes preliminary estimates of the financial impact from the storm from SCEMD and SCDRO. Those estimates are as follows:

Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery ($540 million)

Disaster Relief Fund ($300 million)

Federal Highway Administration ($18 million)

Agriculture ($125 million)

Small Business Administration ($80 million)

National Flood Insurance Program ($165 million)

“I have asked President Trump to authorize federal disaster recovery funds in Public Assistance Categories A, B, C, D, E, F & G – as well Individual Assistance for 23 South Carolina counties through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”). They are: Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter, Williamsburg, and York counties,” McMaster wrote.

A full copy of the governor’s letter and letters from the S.C. Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) and the State Disaster Recovery Office (SCDRO) can be found at www.governor.sc.gov

In response to an earlier request from McMaster, Donald Trump declared on Sept 17 that a major disaster exists in the state of South Carolina and approved federal reimbursement through FEMA for costs associated with emergency, life-safety actions during Hurricane Florence.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Program helps reimburse local governments, state agencies, eligible private non-profit organizations and electric co-operatives for some expenses incurred related to emergency protective measures.
Counties included in the disaster declaration are as follows: Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry, Marion, Orangeburg, and Williamsburg.

As federal, state, and local officials assess the damage caused by Florence, FEMA may determine that additional counties are eligible to receive assistance.

Under the Public Assistance Program, state and affected local governments are eligible to apply for federal funding to pay 75 percent of the approved costs for debris removal and emergency services related to the storm.

Author: Stephan Drew

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