WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Bob Casey on Wednesday released a letter to the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Craig Fugate, urging him to speed up the delivery of storm aid to Pennsylvania.
With winter fast approaching and much of the state still reeling from an unprecedented storm season, the slow pace of FEMA aid flowing into the state could imperil rebuilding projects across the state. Some projects like the repair of roads, bridges and basic infrastructure could go unfinished, some postponed for a whole year.
"Pennsylvania has been hit with a double whammy - flooding that has damaged countless homes and entire communities and now a slow aid process that could cripple our recovery," Casey wrote. "FEMA has a lot on their plate but prioritizing aid for colder states like Pennsylvania is essential to ensure that we can rebuild before winter makes it impossible."
All across Pennsylvania, families saw their livelihoods upended by a string of natural disasters that left communities and lives changed forever. Some estimates indicate that the damage could cost at least $200 million.
The fact that so many of these natural disasters took place in fall make the urgency of rebuilding quickly for cold states like Pennsylvania all the more important. Attempts to rebuild across the state have been hampered by delays in aid delivery. In some instances, municipalities have been forced to use their own funds for rebuilding, which has left many municipalities strapped for cash.
In his letter to Fugate, Casey urged that FEMA do everything in its power to speed up the aid process so Pennsylvania's families and businesses can complete the rebuilding process before winter closes the door for an entire season.