Guinn asks for federal disaster aid

Robert Macy

Thursday, July 15, 1999 | 10:26 a.m.

Citing $20.5 million in losses to public facilities from last week's deadly floods, Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn today asked President Clinton to declare Clark County a major disaster area.

Guinn said he was asking for 100 percent federal relief because the state is not in a position to provide any type of matching funds. If a federal declaration is made and 100 percent funding is not provided, the city of Las Vegas and the county would be expected to cover the difference, Guinn said.

The state's emergency fund is currently at about $1.8 million and will hopefully be built up to $4.8 million by November, Guinn told a morning news conference.

The request for the presidential declaration was made at the same time Guinn announced a state declaration of emergency for Clark County.

Two people were killed in last Thursday's storm, described by weather officials as the worst to hit Southern Nevada in 15 years.

The $20.5 million in damages includes only public property in Las Vegas and Clark County and doesn't include losses to any private property or businesses. Damage to more than 350 homes and businesses could run another $5 million.

In his letter to President Clinton, Guinn asked that federal assistance be provided at 100 percent "due to the financial hardship currently being experienced by the state of Nevada."

Guinn said if the full funding is not provided, the local entities would pick up the difference. But he said he was pushing for full funding because the state had no money to help and Clark County had spent vast sums on infrastructure and other costs as the "fastest growing entity in the country."

The governor said the state would have to spend $400,000 to $500,000 just to manage any federal disaster programs that were initiated.

He called 100 percent federal funding "the right thing to do."

Guinn requested individual and public assistance, hazard mitigation and Small Business Administration disaster loans. He said he was counting on Nevada's congressional delegation to help lobby for the federal disaster declaration.