Both Governor Glenn Youngkin and the General Assembly have included $50 million in this year’s budget that would go to individuals affected by flooding last year during Hurricane Helene. The governor has proposed an amendment that would also open that money to people who were hit by another flood earlier this year.
February marked the third major flood to hit Buchanan County in the past four years. If FEMA denies Virginia’s request for a major disaster declaration and individual assistance (IA), it would also mark the third time flood survivors in this part of Virginia are unable to file with FEMA for claims.
In a press conference earlier this week, Governor Glenn Youngkin explained the reason Buchanan County so often gets rejected for FEMA aid is because of how the federal government assesses disaster declarations for IA.
“The historic formula that is based on the density of the damage and the value of the homes works against Virginia because we are viewed as being a wealthy state,” Youngkin said.
A spokesperson for FEMA confirmed that when assessing whether to approve IA, their agency considers six factors — including a state’s fiscal capacity and resource availability.
The idea is that if a state can afford to help residents, it should be up to the state to cough up the money. President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for the same flood that hit Southwest Virginia in Kentucky and West Virginia.
“Right across the border in West Virginia, the same damage actually triggers the individual assistance,” Youngkin said.
FEMA has a slightly different calculation for public assistance for major disaster declarations, which goes to local governments. Youngkin said he is hopeful FEMA will approve that funding request.
The General Assembly will vote whether to approve the governor’s flood fund amendment, and more than 200 others, when lawmakers return to Richmond next week.
