CUMBERLAND — Given last year’s rejection from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Allegany County officials hope state funds will help the area recover from damage due to the May flood.
To date, the county has spent roughly $7.9 million for flood-related emergency procurements with “a handful” of bills pending, said Allegany County Director of Public Works Adam Patterson.
He said his office prepared information to address the issue at a meeting next week in Annapolis.
The data includes maps that will be submitted to the Maryland Department of the Environment, he said.
“We’ll keep trying to fight to get some of this money recovered,” Patterson said.
County commissioners Thursday approved nine contracts that total $629,000 for flood-related work.
“These have been completed for some time,” Patterson said. “It just takes some time to review the invoices.”
In June, Gov. Wes Moore announced the first use of the State Disaster Recovery Fund that provided $459,375 to support people impacted by the flood.
At that time, FEMA, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management and local officials estimated more than $15.8 million in emergency response costs and damage to infrastructure, “including more than 200 homes, numerous businesses, roads and bridges, railroads, sewer systems, drinking water and public utilities,” according to the governor’s office.
Moore requested the White House issue a major disaster declaration for areas of Allegany and Garrett counties damaged in the stormwaters.
In July, the governor announced an additional $1 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds for families in Garrett and Allegany counties.
Since the flood, FEMA validated more than $33.7 million in damages, which is nearly three times the state’s qualifying threshold for assistance, according to Moore’s office.
A presidential disaster declaration would have made Allegany and Garrett counties eligible for federal funding to repair critical public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and water and sewer systems, the governor’s office said.
Moore in October said a “politicized” decision from the Trump administration denied Western Maryland’s last chance for federal help to recover from the flood.
Last month, state Sen. Mike McKay said help for the county’s flood victims would take priority in his funding considerations.
McKay said a Georges Creek task force prepared a report, which includes the possibility of using $20 million from the state’s Rainy Day Fund, to be presented to legislators.
Former Allegany County Commissioner Bill Valentine planned to meet with state representatives to provide information about the flood, McKay said at that time.
According to fema.gov Thursday, in the past year, major disaster declarations were declared for states including West Virginia, Alaska, Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Kansas and Virginia.