Governor Lee Appeals FEMA Assistance Denial
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee appealed the recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) decision to deny his request to provide Individual Assistance to residents in five counties impacted from the flooding and severe storms of Feb. 19, to March 30, 2019.
“I am committed to pursuing every avenue available to obtain relief for our citizens, communities, and neighbors who are still recovering from the flooding and storms,” Gov. Lee said.
The counties denied Individual Assistance include: Decatur, Hardin, Humphreys, Perry, and Sevier.
On April 17, 2019, FEMA denied Gov. Lee’s March 22 request for a federal declaration of Individual Assistance, which would provide direct federal help to eligible residents for necessary expenses and serious needs who are unable to meet these needs through other means.
Gov. Lee’s appeal further requests FEMA recognize the incident period as beginning on Feb. 6, 2019, in order to expand the Public Assistance relief provided in the federal declaration.
The State has 30 days from FEMA’s denial of assistance to appeal the decision.
Currently, 59 counties eligible for the federal Public Assistance program, made available in the Major Disaster Declaration for Tennessee on April 17, 2019, to include: Anderson, Bedford, Bledsoe, Blount, Campbell, Carter, Cheatham, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Decatur, Dekalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fentress, Gibson, Giles, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Hawkins, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Marion, Marshall, McNairy, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Perry, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Tipton, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, and Wayne.
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About the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency: TEMA’s mission is to coordinate preparedness, response and recovery from man-made, natural and technological hazards in a professional and efficient manner in concert with our stakeholders. Follow TEMA on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and, at www.tn.gov/tema.