Georgia’s state government is diverting $100 million to spend on loans to farmers and cleanup after Hurricane Helene. The Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission voted unanimously Friday to spend the money. It had been set aside for construction projects or paying off existing debt.
The Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission voted unanimously Friday to spend the money, which had been set aside for construction projects or paying off existing debt.Cotton, pecan and chicken farmers took severe losses, as did owners of private timberlands. Lt Gov. Burt Jones and others have called the damage a “generational loss.”
The state did not spend similar money after 2018’s Hurricane Michael. Helene’s damage to agriculture has been estimated as more than twice as costly as Michael. The earlier storm was followed by a“This is something we learned we could do,” Douglas said of the $100 million. Kemp and other state leaders say they will consider additional relief both when the General Assembly meets in January, as well as through administrative measurers before then.
Kemp, Georgia state House Speaker Jon Burns and others have been urging Congress to act quickly on a relief package for Hurricanes Helene and Milton. They are asking Congress to give block grants to states that the states can then give to farmers for recovery purposes. Burns is urging similar block grants that states could spend to repair damaged infrastructure and help private businesses and citizens.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Thursday that it has already spent $1.3 billion on direct aid to people following Helene and Hurricane Milton. FEMA has spend more than $1.1 billion on debris removal and emergency protective measures.
Georgia State Government Brian P. Kemp Hurricanes And Typhoons General News Hurricanes GA State Wire FL State Wire Hurricane Helene NC State Wire SC State Wire TN State Wire VA State Wire Disaster Planning And Response Climate And Environment Politics Business Agriculture U.S. News U.S. News Climate
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
$100 million in federal funds released for North Carolina to rebuild roads, bridges damaged by HeleneHundreds of roads across Western North Carolina remain closed and damaged, including portions of Interstate 40.
Read more »
Tennessee offers $100 million to help torn down counties in East Tenn. hit by HeleneGov. Lee said there are a lot of needs in East Tennessee, especially the northern section, some as basic as people not having clean drinking water.
Read more »
Hurricane Milton could cost insurers up to $100 billion, analysts sayHurricane Milton could cost insurers up to $100 billion, analysts say
Read more »
A federal judge rejects a call to reopen voter registration in Georgia after Hurricane HeleneA federal judge won’t order the state of Georgia to reopen voter registration for November’s elections in the presidential battleground state.
Read more »
A federal judge rejects a call to reopen voter registration in Georgia after Hurricane HeleneA federal judge won’t order the state of Georgia to reopen voter registration for November’s elections in the presidential battleground state.
Read more »
A federal judge rejects a call to reopen voter registration in Georgia after Hurricane HeleneA federal judge won’t order the state of Georgia to reopen voter registration for November’s elections in the presidential battleground state. Three voting rights groups had argued in a lawsuit that disruptions from Hurricane Helene unfairly deprived people of the opportunity to register last week. Monday was Georgia’s registration deadline.
Read more »