Wednesday, July 21, 1999 | 11:15 a.m.
After President Clinton declared Tuesday that flooding in the Las Vegas Valley July 8-16 created a "major disaster," a federal emergency team began preparations to come here within days to begin helping to pay for an estimated $20.5 million in public property damage.
Clinton signed the declaration clearing the way for federal aid shortly after noon. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will help the community pay for repairing roads, bridges and flood channels damaged in the July 8 storm that swamped the Las Vegas Valley.
Although Gov. Kenny Guinn asked for 100 percent assistance, the federal order requires the state, the city of Las Vegas and Clark County to pay 25 percent of the costs, or about $5.1 million.
"I'm grateful and relieved that the White House has recognized the gravity of our situation in Clark County and agreed to provide disaster relief," Guinn said.
Guinn announced Tuesday within minutes of the president's declaration that a state Disaster Field Office will open in Southern Nevada on Monday at a location yet to be determined. About 140 state and federal emergency relief employees will work in the office.
Guinn asked for full federal funding because only $1.8 million remains in a state emergency fund after Northern Nevada received most of the $4.7 million for 1997 flooding.
County Commission Chairman Bruce Woodbury said he was pleased with the declaration. Most of the public property damage occurred in the county's flood control projects built over the past 10 years for $300 million. "We'll never be completely flood-proof," Woodbury said, but the projects in place and to come will help protect people and property from the likes of the recent storms that were the worst in 15 years.
"We have about 20 percent or 30 percent of the flood control projects in place," Woodbury said. "It will take another 25 years or so to complete them."
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman called the declaration "good news" and praised Nevada's congressional delegation for reaching out to those who lost homes and businesses in Clark County.
Goodman said he feared Southern Nevada would receive nothing from the federal government because congressional bickering over the budget is blocking such financial aid as grants.
Most of the city's damages include street lights, stop signs and roads, Goodman said. "I'm only happy with 100 percent federal funding," the mayor said with a chuckle. "I am satisfied with the 75 percent."
FEMA Director James Lee Witt named Michael W. Lowder of FEMA's regional office in San Francisco to serve as the federal coordinating officer for the relief effort.
FEMA officials had met with state emergency officials in Carson City on Monday, in preparation for the president's declaration, FEMA spokeswoman Eliza Chan of San Francisco said.
The first step for FEMA will be finding a building big enough to house hundreds of telephone lines, computer equipment and space for the assessment team, spokeswoman Patty Roberts of the San Francisco office said. "It's almost the size of a small town," she said of the operations center needed by the agency's employees.
Then the FEMA team will do detailed assessments of the damages before doling out any funds, Roberts said. A toll-free 800 number has been established so residents and business owners may begin reporting damages.
The declaration also allows the Small Business Administration to begin assessing damage to private homes and businesses. The owners may be eligible for federal low-interest loans from the SBA. The Red Cross has also offered assistance to families.
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., urged individual homeowners and business owners to call the 800 number to start the federal aid process. "I think the president acted as quickly as he could," the senator said.
"This is great news for Clark County and the state," Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., said. "The level of damage to private and public property is going to cost millions of dollars to clean up and certainly reached the level of destruction that warranted a federal disaster designation."
"We are very pleased that he has done that," said Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., who spoke to President Clinton about the need for disaster relief at a White House dinner Sunday. Berkley said she personally thanked the president at another dinner Tuesday night.
"Clark County's families and businesses are one step closer to getting the assistance that is so vital to begin rebuilding their lives," Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said. "This disaster relief is critical to making sure Nevada's flood victims have the resources necessary to get on with their lives in the wake of this tragedy."
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