FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 23, 2025) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has denied Public Assistance for two counties and Individual Assistance for six counties affected by flooding in February has been denied.
In a letter to the Governor, FEMA wrote, “[B]ased on the results of the joint Preliminary Damage Assessments, it has been determined that the impact to the individuals and households in Butler, Franklin, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, and Whitley Counties is not of the severity and magnitude to warrant their designation under the Individual Assistance program.”
The FEMA letter also states, “In addition, it has been determined that the impact to the infrastructure in Simpson and Woodford Counties is not of the severity and magnitude to warrant their designation under the Public Assistance program.”
“While we are grateful to have gotten an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for the February flooding, which has authorized at least some level of public assistance for local governments in 68 counties and individual assistance for Kentuckians in 16 counties, we are disappointed to receive this latest news,” Gov. Beshear said. “We are actively comparing the damage assessments, and we plan to appeal this decision.”
The Governor will host his standing Team Kentucky Update on Thursday, where he will provide the latest information on the state’s response to severe weather in February and April.
Regarding the April flooding event, the Gov. Beshear requested a Major Disaster Declaration from President Donald Trump on April 11. The state is still waiting to hear if that request has been approved. In it, the Governor asked for Individual Assistance for 13 counties and Public Assistance and Direct Federal Assistance for 33 counties. Gov. Beshear stressed that this includes just the initial counties in order to make the best case for assistance and that more counties could be added.
Click here to learn more about FEMA’s Public Assistance program, which provides supplemental grants to state, tribal, territorial and local governments, as well as certain types of private nonprofit organizations, so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters.
Click here to learn more about FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, which provides financial assistance and direct services to eligible individuals and households affected by a disaster.
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