Paslode
05-14-2011, 10:09
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Government Sends Wildfire Aid To Mexico, Not Texas
Former FEMA director outraged, but local counties say they’re getting Federal money.
By JOE GOMEZ
Just last month the U.S. sent two Air force cargo planes to help Mexico battle back wildfires in the northern part of it's country, fires that burned 386 square miles. It's a move that West Texas Congressman Francisco Canseco (R-Fort Stockton) thinks is a hypocritical one by the Obama administration as Texas has requested the same sort of federal aid but has been denied it.
"386 square miles pales with the 2.5 million acres of land that have been burned and scorched beyond recognition," says Canseco.
And Former FEMA Director Michael Brown thinks that a "snub" like this reeks of politics as he believes Texas deserves a similar response from the federal government.
"I think what's going on is we see the Chicago style politics. I'm amazed that he's put FEMA in this awkward position of not allowing federal assistance," says Brown.
According to the Obama Administration however federal assistance has been flowing to Texas by way of grant money, of which several counties are in the process of applying for.
"We have already qualified for the federal mutual aid grant which will help local volunteer fire departments recover up to 75 percent of the funds that they utilized during the fire, so that was correct in that stand point," says County Judge David Nicklas of Palo Pinto County, an area ravaged by the wildfires.
So far Texas has spent an estimated 70 million dollars combating the states wildfires.
Read more: http://www.ktrh.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=121300&article=8562418#ixzz1MLMkEt3s
.
Government Sends Wildfire Aid To Mexico, Not Texas
Former FEMA director outraged, but local counties say they’re getting Federal money.
By JOE GOMEZ
Just last month the U.S. sent two Air force cargo planes to help Mexico battle back wildfires in the northern part of it's country, fires that burned 386 square miles. It's a move that West Texas Congressman Francisco Canseco (R-Fort Stockton) thinks is a hypocritical one by the Obama administration as Texas has requested the same sort of federal aid but has been denied it.
"386 square miles pales with the 2.5 million acres of land that have been burned and scorched beyond recognition," says Canseco.
And Former FEMA Director Michael Brown thinks that a "snub" like this reeks of politics as he believes Texas deserves a similar response from the federal government.
"I think what's going on is we see the Chicago style politics. I'm amazed that he's put FEMA in this awkward position of not allowing federal assistance," says Brown.
According to the Obama Administration however federal assistance has been flowing to Texas by way of grant money, of which several counties are in the process of applying for.
"We have already qualified for the federal mutual aid grant which will help local volunteer fire departments recover up to 75 percent of the funds that they utilized during the fire, so that was correct in that stand point," says County Judge David Nicklas of Palo Pinto County, an area ravaged by the wildfires.
So far Texas has spent an estimated 70 million dollars combating the states wildfires.
Read more: http://www.ktrh.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=121300&article=8562418#ixzz1MLMkEt3s
.