Gov. Rendell says FEMA rejected aid for June flooding in Pa. counties

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Gov. Ed Rendell says the Federal Emergency Management Agency has again denied his request to aid victims of June flooding in four counties.

The storms affected Allegheny, Westmoreland, and Erie counties in western Pennsylvania, and York in the east.

Rendell says the state will instead seek Small Business Administration loans to help individuals, homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofit organizations affected by the flooding.

Thousands of people were left without power and many roads and basements flooded when the storms produced more than four inches of rain June 17-18.

In some areas of southwestern Pennsylvania, the rainfall was the heaviest recorded since remnants of Hurricane Ivan caused severe flooding in September 2004.