Ill. Appeals Federal Decision to Deny Disaster Aid to Flooded Areas

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reviewing an appeal of a decision that floods last month in two eastern Illinois counties weren’t severe enough to merit disaster-area status.

FEMA spokesman Aric Schmidt says there’s no deadline to finish the review.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich appealed the decision, noting that many families in Iroquois and Livingston counties still can’t return to their homes.

State and local officials complain that the FEMA failed to count several hundred homes damaged by floods.

Earlier this month, the areas were denied a federal disaster declaration, which would have provided financial assistance.