Officials are urged to apply for flood grants

YOUNGSTOWN -- Federal aid is available for area municipalities, school districts and private, nonprofit organizations that sustained damage from this summer's floods.
Walter Duzzny, Mahoning County emergency management agency director, said the Federal EMA has set aside $5 million for flood damage mitigation grants for communities in Northeast Ohio.
The money was made available after President Bush's declaration that counties hard hit by floods were disaster areas, Duzzny said.
"The good new is that the money has become available," Duzzny said. "The bad news is that the time to apply for it is short."
The deadline for applications to be submitted to the Ohio EMA is Sept. 26.
"It's a short fuse, but it's only a two-page application," Duzzny said.
Once applications are submitted to Columbus, they are evaluated and given a priority rating. Communities or organizations chosen for funding will be contacted and asked to submit a more detailed project outline.
Duzzny said his office has applications available for communities, schools and nonprofit groups who have not already received one.