Thursday, Sept. 9, 1999 | 11:43 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- The state Board of Examiners Wednesday released $100,000 as the state's share to pay for recovery from the flash-flood damage that hit Clark County in July.
President Clinton declared Clark County a disaster area and the state must put up 25 percent of the matching funds to pay for costs associated with state government. The county is also putting up 25 percent to match the 75 percent of the federal government.
State Budget Director Perry Comeaux told the examiners board there was damage to the Southern Desert Correctional Center at Indian Springs and there was additional costs incurred by the Nevada Highway Patrol in answering the emergency.
He said the state will also have to pay its share of the costs of setting up the disaster relief office in Clark County which could operate for up to 18 months.
The disaster fund had been depleted when floods hit Northern Nevada two and a half years ago. But Comeaux said it was replenished recently with interest earned on the more than $100 million "Rainy Day" fund. That return on the investment goes into the disaster relief fund.
The examiners board also recommended an emergency appropriation of $2 million to pay for the costs of fighting Northern Nevada's range fires this summer that have already blackened an estimated 1.5 million acres. This has also been declared a federal disaster area.
The $2 million is in addition to the $1 million already recommended by the examiners board to pay for firefighting costs. And an extra $600,000 was given the forestry division from a contingency fund that the examiners board oversees.
Comeaux said the bills so far total about $4.6 million. But the state Forestry Division received only $1 million from the Legislature. The total $3 million request will go before the Legislative Interim Finance Committee on Sept. 21. The finance committee has the final say in allocating the emergency funds.
Comeaux said the state expects about $2.5 million reimbursement from the federal government. But it may not receive the money until February or March. In the meantime, Comeaux said the state must pay overtime to the firefighters.
Secretary of State Dean Heller raised the question of reseeding the range land that has been damaged, saying the tiny community of Unionville in Pershing County fears it may be wiped out when the rains come down the canyon this winter.
Heller, a member of the examiners board, said without the reseeding, there would be nothing to stop the waters.
Gov. Kenny Guinn, board chairman, said the federal government has allocated $18 million for reseeding the range land and agencies are now meeting with citizens to determine what places have priority and what types of seeds should be used to supply the ground cover.
State Forester Roy Trenoweth told the examiners board there have been two deaths attributed to the blowing dusts and ash off the charred rangeland near Carlin. On Aug. 18, Edward and Lily Kurtz of Crescent Valley died when their car hit the rear of a tractor-trailer that had stopped because of zero-visibility.
There have also been other traffic pileups because of the blowing debris.
Forestry spokesman Steve Frady said Nevada has had more acreage burned than any other state this fire season.
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