West Virginia's homeland security director said that he requested in writing Friday, following a verbal request a few days ago, that President Barack Obama increase the federal government's funding share for certain post-flood rebuilding projects from 75 percent to 90 percent.
"We're trying to recover as much money as we can for the state of West Virginia," said Jimmy Gianato, state director of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman Jim Homstad said early Friday evening that FEMA just received the request and it's under review.
In the wake of federal disaster declarations, FEMA's Public Assistance Program usually funds 75 percent of the cost to fix, rebuild or replace public infrastructure and facilities - those owned by governments or certain private non-profits. Gianato has said the 25 percent match in FEMA-funded projects can come from local jurisdictions or a possible special appropriation by state lawmakers.
Mountain State agencies that could benefit from upping the federal funding level from 75 percent to 90 percent include Kanawha County's public school system, which plans to build a new Herbert Hoover High after the school's current building got 6 to 7 feet of water in the late June flooding.
Charles Wilson, Kanawha's executive director of facilities planning, estimated the new school will cost roughly $45 million to $50 million, including land acquisition and other steps. Using that rough estimate, the difference between 75 percent and 90 percent federal funding is a difference of $7.5 million.
It's also still unclear whether Kanawha's Clendenin Elementary will reopen following the flooding. Wilson has said setting up about 70 portable classrooms to temporarily house students from those schools could cost $5 million, if not several million more, and Gianato said the Public Assistance Program funding can also go toward the costs of establishing these portables.
Portable classrooms may also be needed to temporarily house students in Nicholas County, where the schools superintendent said the Summersville Middle, Richwood Middle and Richwood High buildings won't be able to open on time for the Aug. 19 start of classes there, and may never reopen.
"It's very rarely granted anything beyond that," Gianato said of the 75 percent funding level. "But we're trying to make a case that the situation deserves that consideration."
Homstad said the higher funding level was granted to help New York state recover from 2012's Hurricane Sandy, but said it might have been granted in disasters since that time that he wasn't aware of.
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced in a news release Friday afternoon that he spoke earlier in the day with Obama's chief of staff in support of increasing the federal share to 90 percent.
"I want to thank the President and his administration for their quick responsiveness and compassion during this natural disaster," Manchin said in the release. "... Today I made a request to the White House Chief of Staff to please consider the economic hardships we're going through, and grant the 90-10 designation as soon as possible. This additional funding will be a lifeline to help local communities meet the financial demands of rebuilding critical infrastructure, such as schools and first responder facilities, to make sure that our communities can recover and rebuild."
FEMA regulations state that an increase in the federal cost share to not more than 90 percent is recommended "whenever a disaster is so extraordinary that actual Federal obligations under the Stafford Act, excluding FEMA administrative cost, meet or exceed a qualifying threshold." That threshold for disasters after Jan. 1, 2002, is $100 per state resident - adjusted annually for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index.
Gianato, however, said the damage amounts per resident have nothing to do with West Virginia's request. He said the president can amend the funding percentage however he wants, even exceeding the 90 percent, and said the state requested only 90 percent because it was a reasonable amount to request above the normal 75 percent.
"They've been very responsive to everything we've asked for throughout this disaster," Gianato said of the federal government.
Reach Ryan Quinn at ryan.quinn@wvgazettemail.com, facebook.com/ryanedwinquinn, 304-348-1254 or follow @RyanEQuinn on Twitter.