Local Congressional Members Pushing for Wind Storm Reimbursement

Two local members of congress are asking Gov. Jerry Brown to push harder for federal reimbursement for damage caused by Nov. 30 windstorms that resulted in widespread power-outs and infrastructure damage in the San Gabriel Valley.

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, co-authored a letter to Brown nothing that while the county was unable to meet the $50 million threshold for reimbursement through a federal disaster declaration, it may still be possible to get federal funds.

As reported last month on Patch, caused by the storm.

But Chu and Schiff wrote that they believe that FEMA, the federal government's disaster management bureau, sometimes will accept a declaration if the damaged area is extremely localized. 

"The localized impact criteria can help areas that suffer concentrated damage receive federal disaster relief even if the statewide per capita threshold is not met," the pair wrote in their letter to Brown. "We believe that the damage to public infrastructure in Los Angeles County from the windstorm would meet the county threshold of $3.27 per capita."

Reimbursement is crucial, they wrote, because local governments are already straining to meet their budgets.

"The magnitude of the damage from this storm is beyond the capability of local governments to handle on their own. Many of the cities in the affected area are already under significant financial pressure and the damage sustained during this recent storm will only exacerbate these strains."

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