Blunt offers plan to help Empire deal with ice storm costs

During a visit to Joplin today, Seventh District Congressman Roy Blunt offered a plan for the federal government to help cover the costs of the recent ice storm:

Blunt said he intends to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security to seek reimbursement for Empire.

“Under the Federal Emergency Management Act, co-ops and public-owned utilities can get up to 75 percent reimbursement,” Blunt said. “I think it’s reasonable to ask for federal aid to keep ratepayers’ costs down.”

Blunt said he wants to allow federal aid to help with repairs so costs aren’t passed along to ratepayers.

Empire reported that it sustained $31 million in damage from the January ice storm and $15 million from the ice storm this month.