State is Closer to Receiving Disaster Aid From 2020 Hurricanes

Major disaster aid is one step closer to reaching Louisiana, that’s more than 10 months since Hurricane Laura. Governor John Bel Edwards said the state has demonstrated $3 billion in unmet needs from Laura, Delta, and Zeta. He said the state had to make sure the numbers agreed with HUD because they oversee block grant funding for disaster recovery.

“But we also make sure that those numbers agree with FEMA because they were the ones in here measuring damages to begin with,” said Edwards.

Edwards said the figures have been presented to the President and Congress. Edwards said he’s even talked on the phone personally with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to let her know that Louisiana still does not have the disaster appropriation that is desperately needed.

“And then an appropriation is what should now be forthcoming, and so we typically, in a common disaster we wouldn’t get all of the unmet needs that get demonstrated, but you get about half of it,” said Edwards.

Edwards said he believes an appropriation is coming in the relatively near future and the majority of funds would go to those impacted by Laura.

“And if it’s not $1.5 billion we’re going to take whatever it is and we’re going to continue to add to that over time as Congress moves forward,” said Edwards.

The governor said a change in presidential administrations as well other priorities in Washington have been contributing factors delaying approval.