El Paso County falls short of qualifying for federal disaster funds

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has determined that El Paso County doesn’t qualify for disaster recovery funds after a series of storms during the last week of July.

An El Paso County spokesman confirmed Monday that the county did not meet the threshold for disaster status.

That threshold is $7.3 million and involves only infrastructure damage to municipalities within the county, according to the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

The state said some of the damage reported did not qualify for FEMA funds because it was insured, involved infrastructure not owned by municipalities or wasn’t directly caused by the storm.

As a result, Gov. John Hickenlooper decided not to request disaster aid from FEMA.

Because 11 counties didn’t qualify for FEMA aid individually, the state tried to combine all those requests into one request but the amount still failed to reach FEMA’s threshold.

The decision may have the greatest impact on smaller communities like Manitou Springs and Green Mountain Falls.

Green Mountain Falls reported $200,000 in damage and maintenance needs — a third of its total budget.

“We’re going to have to make some tough decisions about how to pay for it,” said Jason Wells, the town manager.

Manitou Springs estimates damage at $1.5 million, but doesn’t have to pay for a $2 million sinkhole repair being funded by the Colorado Department of Transportation.

A CDOT spokesman said Monday that repairs to the sinkhole on Manitou Avenue should be finished in a week or two.

Colorado Springs lists damage at around $600,000.

In El Paso County, a washed out section of Old Pueblo Road will cost more than $1 million.

The state’s Long-Term Recovery Group possibly could provide assistance to the affected counties.