Pa. Approves Storm Aid For Delaware County
By David Madden
MEDIA, Pa. (CBS) - The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is earmarking some $2.6-million in state aid to communities in Delaware County hard hit by strong storms back in late June.
Governor Tom Wolf signed a disaster declaration Tuesday that frees up the state assistance under a new law passed a year ago. The money will reimburse Delaware County and 14 municipalities on the western side that sustained the heaviest damage.
"If everything is in order by October 23rd, the residents of Delaware County and the communities could see a check by Christmas," said Delaware County Council Chairman Mario Civera.
This also gets the ball rolling for the feds to, perhaps, kick in some money. Private insurance is expected to take care of most residential damage.
"I would have liked to have seen it sooner," Civera told KYW Newsradio, "but I think PEMA had to assess all the damages and once they looked at all the damages were they reported back to the Governor."
By contrast, New Jersey's disaster declaration came in three weeks, and FEMA's already approved $15-million dollars for four South Jersey counties.