FEMA denies request to reimburse New Milford for storm damage

New Milford leaders met with Sen. Richard Blumenthal Wednesday to discuss the federal government's recent decision not to provide financial help to areas damaged by May storms.

FEMA announced it would reimburse local governments in Fairfield and New Haven counties for storm cleanup costs but would not honor claims made by three Litchfield County communities, including New Milford.

That decision by FEMA is now being appealed as Mayor Pete Bass says the storms cost the town more than $250,000 due to cleanup and damage to the high school and animal shelter. That amount does not include what homeowners suffered.

"We were very disappointed," Bass said. "This storm doesn't know the difference between Litchfield County and Fairfield County. We had extensive damage as the other towns did in our southern New Milford area and we're just asking for FEMA to really, in our opinion, do the right thing."

Blumenthal told officials he wants to make sure New Milford gets its fair share.

"We are going to make the case as strongly as possible," Blumenthal said. "We're going to go to work on the federal government as a delegation to convince them that New Milford and really other towns like it deserve to be treated more fairly."

The other Litchfield County towns that were denied financial aid are Roxbury and Bridgewater.

FEMA's disaster declaration in Fairfield and New Haven counties is just for local governments. They said it would not reimburse claims by individual homeowners there. That is also being appealed.