Congress of the United States
Washington DC 20510

January 17, 2006

The Honorable R. David Paulison

Acting Director

Federal Emergency Management Agency

500 C Street, S.W.

Washington, DC 20472

Dear Acting Director Paulison:

We are writing in support of a request submitted by Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declare a public aid disaster emergency for the Town of Enfield, Connecticut as a result of severe flooding experienced in October 2005.

A combination of Hurricane Wilma, a strong nor'easter, and a powerful cold front produced torrential rainfall and high winds across Connecticut between October 7 and October 19, 2005. Most of the State received well over twelve inches of rain and persistent wind gusts of over 50 miles per hour. The severe weather caused the most extensive flooding Connecticut and southern New England witnessed in half a century. Major rivers and streams experienced swelling between 8 and 12 feet above flood stage and lakes and reservoirs rose between 3 and 4 feet.

On December 16, 2005, FEMA announced that public federal disaster aid was being made available to the State of Connecticut for Litchfield, New London, Tolland, and Windham counties. Hartford County was not included in FEMA's public disaster declaration. However, FEMA left open the possibility of additional county and/or municipality public disaster declaration based on later damage assessments.

FEMA's requirement for a Presidential disaster declaration is $2.95 per capita. FEMA conducted two statewide field damage assessments: (1) an October 25, 2005 damage assessment in which Enfield, CT was $7,70 per capita based on a public assistance damage estimate of $347,977 against a population of 45,212; and (2) a January 9, 2006 revised damage assessment in Enfield. CT was $16.70 per capita which includes an additional $407,000 in public damage recovery. Enfield's total revised public damages equal $754,977 - the greatest per capita assessment among Hartford County municipalities. The Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security informed our offices that the Hartford County public damages assessment will likely fall below the $2.95 per capita threshold despite Enfield's $16.70 per capita damage costs. This result will exclude the Town of Enfield from receiving FEMA public disaster aid despite cleanup costs in excess of five times FEMA's Presidential disaster declaration threshold.

County government is nonexistent in the State of Connecticut, and the Town of Enfield, Connecticut does not have a countywide tax base in which to absorb repair costs. The relevant tax entity is the Town of Enfield with a population of 45,212 citizens. We strongly support Governor Rell's request that FEMA approve a separate public disaster aid request for Enfield, Connecticut based upon the extraordinary public damage costs associated with the October 2005 storm and severe floods. Thank you for your attention to this matter.