The governor, legislative leaders and the state director of emergency management brief lawmakers on state flood damage and recovery efforts.
The Governor, Senate President and House Speaker seem to be of one mind about two things………That the effect of the floods have been devastating.
"It's unbelievable, really, the devastation that has occurred in these counties."
"The devastation was pretty bad and we should all take a look at it."
"The devastation was truly unbelievable."
And that in the wake of such catastrophy, people from across state and across jurisdictions have done what they could to mitigate the flood's effect.
"The progress that has been made so far is absolutely astounding…."
"I can tell you NH should be proud they worked as hard as you can imagine anyone working."
"People who were supposed to respond responded and responded well."
Among the accomplishments of those responders is the restoration of power to all habitable homes in Alstead…..the reopening of a crucial bridge in Hinsdale, and the distribution of some 46,000 sandbags to shore up against further flooding….Director of energy management Bruce Cheney told lawmakers the state is also handing out water testing kits and evaluating all state dams……He added that dams should hold as long as the state doesn't get more rain than expected.
"We think if there is the one to three inches predicted, we're in good shape…..If it gets more than that we may have to reassess that……I've seen two forecasts - one that shows it all going off to the west of nh, and one with it going right through the worst part of the devastation we've had already…"..
The longer term uncertainty is over how the damaged towns can rebuild…….The state is hoping to get as much as a quick five million dollars if the president declares NH a disaster area……Cheney beleives it's safe to expect the state to ultimately qualify for additional fema relief….
"It is reasonable to believe that 75 percent of all costs to remove debis and restoring public infrastructure……would be coverned by FEMA."
But exactly when such money will arrive is anyone's guess…… Governor Lynch says people should not be made to suffer in the meantime.
"The communies and the families cannot -- and we don't expect theme to be in postion of waiting for for fema to do their paperwork and go through the typical fema process in order to get some money to help provide the relief that they need to rebuild their home and make sure they have food and shelter for their familes."
To that end Lynch and legislative leaders are working on plan to release state money, from the rainy day fund and or the highway fund……Lynch would not answer questions about how much money he thought would be needed……But senate President Ted Gatsas says he doesn't expect either he or the house speaker to object to the state picking up the tab for all local expenses not covered by FEMA.
"I think the amount that the governor talking about is that 12.5 percent match that normally the local communities put in and the state puts in to get to that 100 percent. So I think as long as it's prudently spend and goes directly to the local governments and it's that 12.5 percent than we're there to help them."
"I'm taking them at they word, I hoping we can accomplish that, and I think it's crucially important that we try to accomplish that."
House Democrat Dan Eaton represents seven Chesire county towns including Alstead……
"It's going to be a pricetag that will be staggering……to anyone's standards. And the're no way the community could absporb that even on 20 year bonds……it would just be beyond capability…..And we are fortunate that we have the 82 million dollar surplus in the highway fund and an 52 million dollar surplus in the general fund…..There could not be a more opportune time to have those monies available."
In the meantime responders are readying for the possibility of further flooding in the net several days……The governor is expected to return to the flood region later today…..The legislature, for it's part is expected to step up flood relief fundraising efforts….Those include a possible weekend telethon to be jointly broadcast on NH public Television and WMUR.
