A federal agency pledged Wednesday to help pay for the $8 million in physical damages and cleanup costs that local governments in Hamilton, Butler, Clermont and Warren counties sustained in the July 17-18 flooding.

        “We're going to make sure that every county, city and township that is eligible for assistance will get that assistance,” said Bob Colangelo, coordinating officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), at a press conference in Fairfax.

        FEMA and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA) also will help Fairfax pay for possible housing buyouts and flood-control construction.

HOW TO APPLY

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency are holding briefings this week for local public officials interested in seeking federal grants to help pay for damage from the July flood.     • Hamilton County: 1 p.m. today at Sharonville City Hall, 10900 Reading Road.     • Clermont County: 9 a.m. today at EOC, 2279 Clermont Center Road, Batavia.     • Butler County: 9 a.m. Friday, on the fourth floor of the Government Services Center, 315 High St., Hamilton.

        Fairfax, one of the hardest-hit communities, was the site of two deaths and 78 damaged houses. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to recommend that at least some of the 70 houses in Fairfax's flood plain be removed.

        FEMA is offering assistance as a result of President Bush's disaster declaration last week for the four counties. Gov. Bob Taft had asked the president for federal funding.

        FEMA would partly reimburse local governments for damages involving roads, bridges, schools, utilities and other infrastructure, as well as the costs of overtime pay to employees working on clean-up.

        Grants usually are 75 percent federal funding, with the state and local governments splitting evenly the remaining 25 percent.

        Although no one knows yet the amount, Fairfax Mayor Ted Shannon said he was glad to hear federal and state agencies will offer the village financial support.

        “This is the first time we've ever had support from everybody,” he said, referring to previous floods in the village.

        Mr. Shannon said he also will ask about the availability of money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He estimates village residents' losses at more than $2 million.

        A Fairfax flood victim, Cathy Schellhous of Simpson Street, welcomed the news of FEMA assistance. She said she hopes the money is used for a buyout of houses in the flood plain and not just for flood-control measures for Little Duck Creek.

        “All of us are waiting to see if there is going to be a buyout,” said Ms. Schellhous. “All we can do is sit and wait. It's a very very frustrating way to live.”

        FEMA and Ohio EMA scheduled briefing sessions this week for local public officials to begin the application process.

        Local governments have until Sept. 26 to complete applications for FEMA grants.

        The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved 145 low-interest loans totaling $3.7 million so far for home and business owners, said Nancy Dragoni, Ohio EMA's deputy coordinating officer for flood recovery efforts in Southwest Ohio.

        Ohio has approved 66 individual state assistance grants totaling $415,000 so far, she said. Of that money, $215,000 has been distributed, said Kay Phillips, chief of Ohio EMA's Disaster Recovery Branch.
       

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