Flood aid may flow soon

Top state lawmakers are considering writing checks for tens of millions of dollars to help quickly rebuild needed water lines and roads in flooded Washington County.

Thursday morning, legislative leaders met with southern Utah lawmakers to see what, if anything, can legally be done to provide "bridge" loans or grants to the stricken area.

"We don't know if this can even be done, but we're looking," said House Majority Leader Jeff Alexander, R-Provo.

House Majority Whip Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, said there is precedent for the state aid.

"Salt Lake City got some money for its floods" in the early 1980s, he said. He was researching whether the state aid back then was a loan or an outright grant, which would not have been repaid.

The needs are so great in Washington County, which Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has declared a disaster area, that Urquhart said he hopes the state aid would be a cash grant.

The floods caused at least $150 million in damage, he said, much of it public infrastructures such as roads, bridges, water and sewer lines. For a short time, raw sewage was flowing out of a broken pipe into the Santa Clara River, which at one time was flowing at 1,000 times greater capacity after heavy rains combined with other runoff to wash away homes, golf courses and other structures.

One man was killed when his SUV got stuck in a creek crossing, and he was swept off the roof of his vehicle.

This year, lawmakers have more than $270 million in one-time funds, but there are many demands on the money.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency may well pick up 75 percent of the cost of rebuilding public structures. But that money, if it comes, won't come for weeks.

"They need the help now," said Alexander.

If legislators and Huntsman decide to give the loans or grants quickly, checks could be cut as early as next week, legislative leaders said.

"We are trying to urge them to go with a percentage amount, instead of a fixed dollar amount," said Washington County Commissioner Jim Eardley.

St. George City Manager Gary Esplin, who was out of town when the flooding occurred, said the city would not be able to finance recovery efforts alone.