State to Appeal Denied Request for Individual Storm Aid

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that President Obama has denied the state's request for individual aid to homeowners, renters and employers affected by severe storms and flooding from the March 13-14 storm. Governor Rell said she has immediately started gathering information to file a formal appeal.

"The storms that battered our state last month left a trail of astonishing devastation in their wake – crushed cars, homes struck by trees, week-long power outages and staggering flooding," Rell said in a news release. "People and businesses all across Connecticut were left with millions of dollars in damage. They need help. This decision is not only disappointing – it's wrong, and I will appeal it."

President Obama on Friday approved Governor Rell's request for a "major disaster declaration" response to severe storms that struck the state in March. The declaration allowed financial assistance to the state and municipal governments in three counties: Fairfield, Middlesex  and New London.

However, the President today denied a broader request for federal aid to affected individuals in those three counties as well as New Haven and Windham counties, despite surveys that identified a total of 1,315 homes in the five counties with damages totaling $5.3 million in estimated housing assistance needs. The Small Business Administration determined that 116 businesses were affected and estimated the damages at $5.4 million.