ST. LOUIS — City officials on Thursday said the federal government has offered new assistance in cleaning up after the May tornado.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers won’t take over the job, Mayor Cara Spencer said on Thursday, as the city had hoped. But she said the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide $63 million and technical assistance to the city and state as they work to remove an estimated 1 million tons of debris left in the wake of the storm.
And the state will manage the job, Spencer said, relieving the city of a big administrative burden.
“This isn’t exactly what the city asked for,” Spencer said. But she said that with Trump administration reworking FEMA’s mission, the offer was the “very best” the city could get.
City Hall had hoped the Army Corps would take charge of debris removal, as it has in other areas hit with similar disasters.
Instead, statements from the city and governor’s office on Thursday said the state and city would lead efforts to hire contractors and obtain permission from property owners to remove debris on their land.
And Spencer said the city and state could still get more cash from FEMA in coming weeks.
ST. LOUIS — City officials on Thursday said the federal government won’t take over cleanup from the May 16 tornado here, though it has offered money and assistance.
A news release said the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide money and technical assistance to the city and state as they work to remove an estimated 1 million tons of debris left in the wake of the storm.
City Hall had hoped to have the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers take charge of debris removal, as it has in other areas hit with similar disasters.
But Thursday’s release was not clear if the grant included everything the city requested.
Statements from the city and governor’s office said the state and city would lead efforts to hire contractors and obtain permission from property owners to remove debris on their land.
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Austin Huguelet | Post-Dispatch
St. Louis City Hall reporter
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