No federal storm help for Berkshires, despite extensive damage

[TexasTowelie]

Berkshire County reported $630,000 of storm damage due to record rainfall, straight-line winds, bridge washouts. It was still not enough to meet FEMA threshold.


Sorry, we’d like to help, but we can’t.

That’s the basic message from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to Berkshire towns seeking disaster relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for damage during July floods and storms.

Record rainfall swamped parts of the Berkshires — in Williamstown, it was the wettest month in 129 years. There was storm damage from straight-line winds and costly bridge washouts from flooding.

Berkshire County, along with neighboring Franklin County, had total verified damage amounts above the required minimum to qualify for federal assistance.

But, FEMA awards disaster relief only if statewide damage reaches $10.1 million, the threshold needed to qualify for a federal disaster declaration, according to MEMA public information officer Christopher Besse.

Read more: https://www.berkshireeagle.com/weather/berkshire-county-denied-disaster-relief-funds-after-rainfall-extreme-weather-2021/article_bd97e852-285e-11ec-884b-bfa123a7f4de.html

[Backseat Driver]

1. I give the counties a lot of credit for trying, and follow up this denial

with a call to the WH West Wing staff for more targeted consideration of infrastructure funding for necessary repairs and clean-up - perhaps Army Corps of Engineer assistance or guaranteed county Minority and/or Woman-owned Small Business engineering contractors?