FEMA rejects additional funding to West, TX

[hurley1980]

From story:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied additional aid to the Texas town devastated by a massive fertilizer plant explosion in April that leveled homes and could be felt as far as 80 miles away, Gov. Rick Perry's office confirmed to NBC News Tuesday

Perry's office said it received a letter from FEMA administrator Craig Fugate saying that the devastated town would not receive funds from the agency.

FEMA said in the letter that the damage from the explosion "is not of the severity and magnitude that warrants a major disaster declaration," according to the Associated Press.

The explosion in West, Texas on the evening of April 17 killed 15 people and injured hundreds more. Twelve of the dead were first responders who were battling a blaze at the West Fertilizer Co. plant on the outskirts of town before it exploded.
 
In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, FEMA spokesman Dan Watson said the agency had provided over $7 million in federal funds directly to families affected by the disaster, as well as emergency housing assistance and funds to help the state remove debris.

The town of about 2,800 people had asked for a total of about $57 million for work that included road repairs and included $40 million to rebuild a school flattened in the explosion, the AP reported.

“We don’t have the money to go out and borrow the money. We don’t have the means to pay that note back,” West Mayor Tommy Muska told the AP. “There’s got to be some public assistance.”

link to story

Thoughts?  It seems to me FEMA should be the last place West rallys to for funds, what about the plant, their insurance company, the state?  FEMA shouldn't even be involved in this in my HO.

[EVT1]

Gave mine on the other FEMA thread- it isn't the government's job to fix the mess created by private corporations.

I thought for sure Obama was going to catch hell on this by now- maybe I need to listen to Rush or Hannity and see how they are blaming him for it....It is quite funny though- the proud Texans wanting 'public assistance'- I thought they hated all forms of public assistance- or at least the Conservative half of the state.

[hurley1980]

Oh shoot, I didnt realize there was another FEMA thread.  I looked but apparently not very hard. 

Mods, you can delete this thread.....I'll go hunt for the other one.