WELCOME TO "KENTUCKY TONIGHT."

I'M RENEE SHAW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING us.

OUR TOPIC TONIGHT: THE EASTERN KENTUCKY FLOODING AND RELIEF PA A MONTH AFTER FLOODS THAT KILLE AT LEAST 39 PEOPLE, THE KENTUCK GENERAL ASSEMBLY MET IN A THREE-DAY SPECIAL SESSION THAT ENDED FRIDAY.

LAWMAKERS PASSED $213 MILLION FLOOD RELIEF BILL TO SUPPORT CITIES, COUNTIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS, REPLACE AND REPAIR BRIDGES, ROADS AND SCHOOLS, AND PROVIDE SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES BUT THERE'S SOME DISAPPOINTMENT WITH HOW THE BILL HANDLES IMMEDIATE HOUSING NEEDS.

TODAY SCHOOLS IN PERRY AND BREATHITT COUNTY REOPENED.

OTHERS WILL REOPEN later.

TO DISCUSS THE FLOODS AND THE RESPONSE TO THEM, WE ARE JOINED IN OUR LEXINGTON STUDIO BY: ROCKY ADKINS, SENIOR ADVISER TO GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR.

STATE SENATOR ROBERT STIVERS, KENTUCKY SENATE PRESIDENT AND A REPUBLICAN FROM MANCHESTER.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE ANGIE HATTON, HOUSE MINORITY WHIP AND A DEMOCRAT FROM WHITESBURG.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BLANTON, A REPUBLICAN FROM SALY AND STATE SENATOR ROBIN WEBB, A DEMOCRAT FROM GRAYSON.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

SEND US A QUESTION OR COMMENT ON TWITTER AT KYTONIGHTKET.

SEND AN EMAIL OR USE THE WEB FORM AT KET.ORG/.

BE SURE TO CHECK THE BOX THAT SAYS YOU'RE NOT A ROBOT.

YOU MAY GIVES A CALL.

AT 1-800-494 SUCH 605 WELCOME TO ALL OUR GUESTS.

WE WANT TO SAY AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE STILL WITH THOSE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY AND ARE REBUILDING AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST.

OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES.

I DO WANT TO STARTED WITH REFLECTIONS FROM EACH OF YOU, AND I'LL START WITH YOU, MR. ADKINS.

YOU HAD A MONTH, AND ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN AREAS, AND I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR REFLECTIONS FROM THE TIME THAT YOU FIRST SAW THE DEVASTATION TO NOW, WHAT KIND OF REPORT CAN YOU GIVE TO US.

>> WELL, FIRST TRIP INTO EAST KENTUCKY WAS JUST COMPLETE DEVASTATION, SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US HAVE EVER SEEN, ESPECIALLY BEING FROM EAST KENTUCKY, LIVING IN EAST KENTUCKY.

WE HAVE SEEN ISOLATED FLOODING THAT WOULD HIT AN ISOLATED AREA, BUT NOTHING TO THE MAGNITUDE OF FIVE, SIX COUNTY REGION, WATER WHERE PEOPLE HAD NEVER SEEN WATER BEFORE, 39 THAT LOST THEIR LIFE TRAGICALLY IN THIS FLOOD.

THE RESPONSE INITIALLY HAS BEEN I THINK OUTSTANDING, PROBABLY OVER 1,000 PEOPLE ON THE GROUND EVERY DAY RESPONDING, ORGANIZATIONS, VOLUNTEERS, STATE GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT TRYING TO RESPOND.

I WAS BACK JUST CAN T. OTHER DAY, MATTER OF FACT DROVE TO BUCHMAN, GOT A CHANCE AGAIN TO SEE THE DEVASTATION.

CLEANUP IS NOW IN THE PHASE OF DEBRIS REMOVAL, CLEANING UP DOWNTOWNS, COMMUNITIES, HOMES, SEEING IMPROVEMENT IN THAT AREA, BUT THE EFFORT CONTINUES.

THIS IS A DEVASTATION TYPE SITUATION, INITIAL SHORT-TERM I THINK HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD, BUT THIS IS A LONG-TERM BUILD-OUT, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE FOR THE LONG TERM.

>> SENATOR STIVERS.

>> WELL, IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT ROCKY SAID.

EXCEPT I THINK MOST PEOPLE -- I WANT TO DRAW A COMPARISON.

DEVASTATION IS COMPARABLE, NO MATTER WHERE IT IS.

SOME PLACES IT'S JUST HARDER TO RECOGNIZE.

AND SO WHEN THE TORNADOES HIT WEST KENTUCKY, YOU KNEW WHAT HAD BEEN DAMAGED BECAUSE BECAUSE YOU COULD SEE THAT THE HOUSE WAS GONE OR THE BUILDING WAS GONE.

IN THIS SENSE IT'S DIFFERENT IN THAT YOU CAN BE LOOKING AT A BUILDING AND THINK, IT LOOKS GOOD, BUT THEN WHEN YOU GET INTO IT, IT'S GOT SO MUCH STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, MOLD, CONTAGION THAT IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT TYPE OF ASSESSMENT PROCESS.

AND THE DESTRUCTION WAS SO MUCH MORE WIDESPREAD.

I CALLED REPRESENTATIVE ANGIE HATTON.

WE WERE WITH EACH OTHER THAT SATURDAY BECAUSE MY IN-LAWS LIVE IN HER DISTRICT, AND YOU COULDN'T CROSS THE BRIDGE TO GET TO THEIR HOUSE SO YOU HAD TO GO CROSS ANOTHER BRIDGE, AND TO THINK ABOUT A HOUSE THAT WAS RAISED 15 FEET FROM ITS FOUNDATION, TAKEN AND DROPPED ON A BRIDGE, AND YOU COULDN'T GET ACROSS THAT BRIDGE BECAUSE LITERALLY A HOUSE WAS SITTING THERE.

YOU THINK ABOUT THAT IN BREATHITT COUNTY, PERRY COUNTY, KNOTT COUNTY, LETCHER COUNTY, AND THEN BITS AND PIECES OF OTHER COUNTIES, IT WAS BY FAR MORE WIDESPREAD THAN ANYTHING THIS STATE HAS EVER SEEN.

>> REPRESENTATIVE HATTON, YOU CAN SPOKEN WITH YOU JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER THE FLOODING, AND YOU WERE TELLING US ABOUT YOU WERE PART OF A RESCUE TEAM, ACCIDENTAL BUT YOU FOUND YOURSELF THERE, AND HIGH WATER FORMING HUMAN CHAINS TO HELP PEOPLE AND TO GET KAYAKS OR WHATEVER WOULD FLOAT, I BELIEVE WERE YOUR WORDS.

HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO PROCESS ALL OF THAT SINCE THAT TIME?

AND WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ADD TO WHAT THE GENTLEMAN HAVE ALREADY STATED?

>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN ENOUGH TIME FOR ANY OF US TO PROCESS WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH, WE'VE BEEN SO BUSY CLEANING UP.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG TIME BEFORE WE'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PROCESS THE EXPERIENCES THAT A LOT OF MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE EXPERIENCED.

FROM ACTUALLY TRYING TO SAVE NEIGHBORS' LIVES WHO WERE IN MORTAL TERROR THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DIE AND WATCHING THEM ARGUE ABOUT WHO WAS GOING TO GO FIRST AND TRYING TO SAVE THE OTHERS FIRST, AND THEN WATCHING THE DEVASTATION OF THE REBUILDING PROCESS, WE WOULD EVEN -- EVEN IN THE DAYS AFTER THE FLOODING, WHEN PEOPLE WOULD COME INTO THE DONATION CENTERS, WE WOULD HAND THEM CAN'TS OF SOUP AND I REMEMBER ONE LADY SAID, I DON'T HAVE A CAN OPENER, AND SO WE SAID, WE'LL FIND A CAN OPENER.

SHE SAID, I DON'T HAVE A POT, AND THEN YOU SORT OF WATCH IT DAWN ON HER THAT SHE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A POT, AND THAT SHORT OF SHOCKED AND STUNNED CONDITION THEY WOULD COME INTO THE VOLUNTEER CENTERS FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS MUDDY.

IT WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS FOR SOME OF THEM TO GET OUT.

THEY HAD BEEN TRAPPED.

AND SEEING PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE AND CARE ABOUT IN THAT CONDITION IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY TOUGH FOR US TO DEAL WITH, AND UNFORTUNATELY EASTERN KENTUCKY PEOPLE ARE NOT GOOD AT ASKING FOR NIGH KIND OF HELP BUT ESPECIALLY NOT MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE STRUGGLING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE YOUNG KIDS FOR THE IMPACT OF THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

>> SENATOR WEBB, SAME QIANA TO YOU, AND THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA FOR KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE.

>> AS A A FORMER RESIDENT OF KNOT AND PERRY COUNTY HOE HAS FAMILY THERE AND WAS ACTUALLY SCHEDULED TO BE IN COURT THERE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY THE FLOOD HIT.

MY CASE WAS CONTINUED THAT TUESDAY.

AND SO I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF I GUESS SURVIVOR'S GUILT MAYBE THAT I WASN'T THERE.

BUT TO HELP -- JUST TO HELP.

AND SO I FOUND MYSELF DIRECTING RESOURCES, PEOPLE, ANIMALS, RAISING MONEY, DIRECTING RESOURCES, GETTING UPDATES TO THE RED CROSS.

ANGIE AND THESE FOLKS WERE ON THE GROUND AND, OF COURSE, MY CHILDREN HAVE FAMILY THERE JUST LIKE SENATOR STIVERS' WIFE DOES, AND I'VE BEEN IN FLOODS THERE.

I'VE SEEN WATER RISE QUICKLY.

BUT I MEAN THIS IS UNIMAGINABLE.

I'M PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THE LAY OF THE LAND THERE AND THE DEVASTATION, LOST SOME FRIENDS AND CLIENTS IN THIS FLOOD, AND IT'S BEEN VERY EMOTIONAL JOURNEY AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE BECAUSE THE AREA HAS BEEN DEALT SOME PRETTY HARD BLOWS AND PEOPLE WANT TO STAY WHERE THEY'RE FROM AND IN THEIR HOME, MULTI-GENERATIONAL PIECES OF LAND MAY NOT BE USABLE AGAIN.

ANDITES GOING TO BE HARD.

WE'RE TOUGH PEOPLE, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A HARD JOURNEY.

AND LIKE ANGIE SAID, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T ASK FOR THE HELP THEY NEED AND THEY'VE GOT TO REPORT, SCHOOL STARTED TODAY, AND IT MADE NATIONAL NEWS.

THE STATE OF OUR CHILDREN AND THE CONCERN FOR OUR CHILDREN NATIONALLY.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALL NEED TO BE MINDFUL ON AND MOTORCYCLES ON.

>> REPRESENTATIVE BLANTON, I WANT TO ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION AND SEGUE INTO HOUSE BILL 1 THAT HAS BECOME LAW, AND SENATE BILL 1 WAS, YOU SUBSTITUTED FOR HOUSE BILL 1 WITH SOME CORRECTIONS.

FOR TO YOU GIVE YOUR REFLECTIONS, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS PASSED AND THE GOOD YOU BELIEVE IT CAN DO.

>> FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID HERE TONIGHT, FROM MY COLLEAGUES.

IT'S BEEN A DEVASTATING TIME IN OUR REGION, BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN GOOD COME FROM IT AS WELL.

WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE HAVE TO STEP UP FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT'S LOST EVERYTHING, SEEKING SOME TYPE OF HELP THIS.

THAT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR THEM.

AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, WE'RE A PRIDEFUL PEOPLE, AND SO IT'S BEEN A PSYCHOLOGICAL, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT FOR THEM.

WE TALK ABOUT BEING 30 DAYS OUT, BUT REALLY 30 DAYS IS STILL AFRESH AND NEW.

WE SEE A LOT OF AERIAL VIDEOS OF PHOTOGRAPHY, BUT AS SENATOR STRIVERS WAS DESCRIBING, IN A TORNADO YOU SEE THE STRUCTURE GONE, BUT IN THE FLOODING, THE STRUCTURE MAY REMAIN BUT IT MAY BE A TOTAL LOSS.

UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND SEE THE LOSS, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE HOUSESITTING ON THE BRIDGE AND -- NOT JUST IN MY DISTRICT BUT IN ALL THE COUNTIES, WE'VE GOT BRIDGES THAT JUST AREN'T THERE ANYMORE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE GONE.

THEY'RE WASHED OUT.

HOUSES THAT ARE WASHED AWAY COMPLETELY.

AND SO THE DEVASTATION THAT YOU SEE ON THE GROUND AND ABLE TO SEE THE MUD LINE.

DEBRIS LIT LITERALLY HANG ON POWER LINES.

THE WATER DEPTH GOT SO DEEP IN SOME AREAS.

SO IT'S BEEN DEVASTATING.

THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT THAT IS BEEN VERY HUMBLING.

THERE IS OVER 1,000 PEOPLE WE KNOW THROUGHOUT OUR REGION ON THE GROUND HELPING IN ANY WAY THAT THEY CAN.

WE HAVE SPENT MANY DAYS HELPING CLEAN, DELIVER FOOD, WATER.

WE HAVE EVEN TAKE BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS AND DELIVERED FOOD TO PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T GET OUT.

AND SO THIS IS STILL AFRESH.

AND WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS THING, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG TERM SOLUTION.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE, AND I'LL SEGUE INTO HOUSE BILL 1, IS A FIRST STEP, A FIRST STEP, AND THE GOVERNOR SAID IT'S NOT BIPARTISAN.

NON-PARTISAN.

I TOLD HIM FRIDAY I'LL GO ONE FURTHER.

IT'S NOT EVEN NON-PARTISAN.

THE A KENTUCKY BILL FOR KENTUCKIANS.

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.

IT'S A TIME WHEN WE ARE A WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP THE PEOPLE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY.

SO FIRST OF ALL, HOUSE BILL 1 SETS UP THE MECHANISM FOR US TO FUND, TO RUN THESE FUNDS THROUGH CALL EK SAFE, AND IN THAT WE PUT $200 MILLION OUT OF OUR BUDGET RESERVE TRUST FUND.

THAT'S PART OF -- SOMETIMES IT'S CALLED THE RAINY DAY FUND, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT'S THERE FOR, THESE TYPE SITUATIONS.

WE PUT $200 MILLION OUT OF IT, AND THEN $12.662 MILLION TO BE EXACT OUT OF THE REMAINING ARPA FUNDS THAT THE STATE HAD.

>> THAT'S THE FEDERAL COVID MONEY THAT CAME, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.

>> THAT'S PART OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONEYS THAT CAME TO KENTUCKY, YES.

AND SO $75 MILLION IS BEING MOVED INTO THE -- TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE MILITARY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SUPPLIES, AND YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT HOUSING.

WELL, IT IS DOESN'T USE THE TERM SPECIFIC HOUSING BUT THAT $75 MILLION, SOME OF THAT MONEYS WILL BE USED TO BUY INTERMEDIATE HOUSING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF SHELTERS INTO SOME TYPE OF INTERMEDIATE HOUSING.

>> BUT WHY WANTS IT STATED SPECIFICALLY?

>> WHY WASN'T IT STATED?

>> BECAUSE IT'S AN OVERALL BROAD MONEYS THAT THEY USE FROM THAT TO GETTING SHOWER TRAILERS IN, TO DOING REPAIRS.

IT'S A COLLECTIVE.

WE DON'T ITEMIZE THAT BUDGET.

THEY HAVE THE REFLECT THERE, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

>> SO, SENATOR STIVERS, HOW MUCH DID YOU ENVISION TAKING FROM THAT $75 MILLION THEY GO GOING FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO BE USED FOR HOUSING?

IS THERE AN ESTIMATE?

>> LET ME -- SOMETHING YOU SAID, IMMEDIATE HOUSING NEEDS.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT IMMEDIATE HOUSING NEEDS ARE.

IF WE WERE TO DROP EVERY DOLLAR WE COULD DROP IN $2.7 BILLION, THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU COULD GO IN RIGHT NOW AND START REBUILDING HOUSES.

CAN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO CLEAN UP THE LOT, YOU'VE GOT TO DESIGN THEM, MEET WATER AND SEWER.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE, SEVEN MONTHS TO BUILD EVEN A MODEST HOME.

SO IMMEDIATE HOUSING NEEDS, AND ROCKY, WE I USED TO CALL HIM REPRESENTATIVE ADKINS BUT ROCKY -- WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT POTS AND RESOURCES, PARTICULARLY LOUISIANA HAS 600 UNITS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE GIVEN TO US AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE TRANSPORTED HERE.

SO YOU WANT TO GIVE THE ENTITY WHATEVER ENTITY, THE FLEXIBLE TO MOVE THE MONEY.

AND SO OUT OF THAT IT MAY BE HALF OF IT, IT MAY BE LESS THAN THAT BECAUSE THE BIGGEST COST IN GETTING THESE TEMPORARY HOUSING UNITS IN WILL PROBABLY BE TRANSPORTATION AND HOOKUP TO UTILITIES.

BECAUSE THAT'S THE KEY.

YOU CAN'T PUT THESE TEMPORARY HOUSING UNITS BACK WHERE THEY WERE DESTROYED BY THE FLOOD BECAUSE THAT CREATES LIABILITY FOR FEMA.

SO IT'S NOT AS EASY AS JUST SAYING WAVE YOUR WANTED.

THIS WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT.

DISCUSSIONS STARTED THE DAY AFTER BETWEEN ME AND MY MEMBERS, THE HOUSE AND THOSE MEMBERS, AND THE GOVERNOR GETTING US ON A PHONE CALL I THINK SATURDAY MORNING?

>> YES.

>> I THINK IT WAS SATURDAY MORNING.

SO IT WAS -- IT'S NOT BEEN BY HAPPENSTANCE THIS BILL CAME TO FRUITION.

THIS THING CAME INTO LESSONS WE LEARNED FROM MAGOFFIN COUNTY, WEST LIBERTY WITH WESTERN KENTUCKY, AND THIS TO GET TEMPORARY HOUSING AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE.

>> SO THERE WAS A FORM THAT WAS FILED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR BRANDON SMITH THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN 50 MILLION MORE DOLLARS FROM THE RAINY DAY OR THE BUDGET RESERVE TRUST FUND FOR HOUSING.

SO WHY NOT ADOPT THAT AMENDMENT?

>> BECAUSE -- LET ME -- YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE PUT INTO WEST KENTUCKY?

>> $200 MILLION.

>> $200 MILLION, RIGHT.

>> THEY HAVE ONLY USED ABOUT $70 MILLION OF THAT SO FAR.

THERE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH IN THIS FUND TO DEAL WITH THAT AT THIS TIME.

BUT WE'RE VERY WELL AWARE WE MAY HAVE TO REVISIT THAT, AND BECAUSE OF THE SEQUENCING OF EVENTS, THE TORNADO HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE THE SESSION, SO WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF WORK THROUGH THAT OVER A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS EXACTLY OUT THERE YET, AND THE THOUGHT IS ARE PEOPLE GOING TO REBUILD?

IS THAT BRIDGE GOING TO BE NECESSARY THAT'S GOING TO COST $300,000 OR $400,000 TO BUILD OR DO WE WANT TO START THINKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT HOUSING PATTERN TO WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T IN FLOODPLAINS, THAT THEY HAVE BETTER OPPORTUNITY, A STRUCTURE SET UP, NOT A MANDATED, NOTHING MANDATORY, BUT THAT'S THE TYPE OF WAY WE WANT TO LOOK AT IT, AND IT IS JUST NOT RIGHT TO DO THAT JUST YET.

>> SO WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOUSING, AND ONE FROM A GENTLEMAN TED WHO ASKED A QUESTION, REPRESENTATIVE HATTON, I'LL POSE IT TO YOU, THE HOUSING INDUSTRY IN EASTERN KENTUCKY IS ALREADY FRAGILE.

WHAT CAN BE DONE NOW OR IN THE NEAR TERM TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF CONTRACTORS, SUBCONTRACTORS, REHAB SPECIALISTS TO MEET THE EXTRAORDINARY NEEDS OF FLOOD IMPACTED AREAS?

AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN TENTS OUTSIDE, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT CONCERN?

>> WELL, I MEAN, I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT THINK THAT ANYBODY AT THESE TABLES TONIGHT OR THAT SAT IN ANY OF THOSE SEATS IN EITHER CHAMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE OR IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE INTENDED TO NEGLECT HOUSING.

WE ARE ALL AWARE OF HOW SEVERE THAT SITUATION IS.

AND I SPOKE WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, LOTS OF OTHER FOLKS WHO WERE TELLING ME THAT, YES, WE DO NEED TO SPEND MORE ON HOUSING.

I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HAD IT IN THE BILL.

WE ARE BARELY 30 DAYS OUT NOW, AND WHEN WE WERE CALLED INTO SPECIAL SESSION, IT WAS NOTE EVEN 30 DAYS, SO WE HADN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN EVALUATE HOW MANY HOUSES WE NEED.

AND WE CERTAINLY HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO GET THE SITES READY, TO GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE SITES, AND REALLY IT DOESN'T MAKE A TON OF SENSE TO REBUILD IN FLOODPLAIN.

WE HAVE TO GET COMMUNITIES READY AND REBUILD OUTSIDE THE FLOODPLAIN BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, IF WE DON'T DO SOME LONG-TERM PLANNING ABOUT HOW THINGS NEED TO LOOK IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, I KEEP SAYING THAT THIS DISASTER COULD BE WHAT ENDS EASTERN KENTUCKY.

IN A LOT OF CASES THE PAID-FOR-HOUSE THAT YOU INHERITED AND A COAL CAMP FROM YOUR GRANDFATHER MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE ONLY THE ONLY THINGS THANK WAS KEEPING IN YOU EASTERN KENTUCKY WHEN THERE WERE BETTER JOBS AVAILABLE IN OTHER PLACES.

BUT NOW THAT THAT HOUSE IS GONE WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO TO OUR MOPLATION, AND WE NEED TO REBUILD IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE FLOOD-PROOFED.

WE HAVE SOME REALLY INTENSE PLANNING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

AND WE WEREN'T READY YET TO START REBUILDING HOUSES.

WE CAN'T JUST POINT AT A HOUSE AND START REBUILDING IT.

WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE FAIRWAY TO DO THAT AND HOW IT'S LEGAL TO JUST SPEND STATE MONEY ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.

AND MAYBE WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO WAS JUST SET ASIDE MONEY.

MAYBE WE COULD HAVE JUST SET THAT $50 MILLION ASIDE AND THEN COME UP WITH A PLAN BUT IT'S STILL GOING TO TAKE TIME TO COME UP WITH THAT PLAN.

>> I'M GOING TO CALL REPRESENTATIVE ADKINS OUT OF HABIT.

I'M SO SORRY.

>> CALL ME ROCKY.

>> MR. ADKINS.

I CAN'T CALL YOU ROCKY.

SAME QUESTION TO YOU, AND THE CONCERN DID DEPOPULATION.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SENATOR STIVERS, PRESIDENT STIVERS MENTIONED ON THE FLOOR ON FRIDAY, ABOUT THE MISUNDERSTANDING OR PERHAPS MISCOMMUNICATION BY THE PRESS ABOUT HOUSING AND YOU MADE THE POINT ABOUT DEPOPULATION.

THIS IS SOMETHING YOU ICS PRESSED IN 2 LEGISLATURE.

>> I STILL EXPRESS IT TODAY, THE DEPOPULATION BECAUSE OF THE DOWNTURN IN COAL WHILE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS HAVE HAD TO MOVE TO FIND A JOB.

AND THE FLOODING THAT WE JUST INCURRED, OUR FEAR IF WE DID NOT RESPOND IN A PROPER MANNER, THAT WE'LL LOSE MORE POPULATION.

LET ME FIRST OF ALL SAY THIS BILL WAGS WELL THOUGHT OUT.

IT WAS A VERY NON-PARTISAN BILL THAT THE MEMBERS CAME TOGETHER ON AND SENATOR STIVERS, I THINK THE BILL WAS ACTUALLY SIGNED THE ON 30th DAY AFTER THE FLOOD.

I HEARD A COMMENT.

I THINK WE WERE A MONTH OUT WHEN THE BILL BASS WAS SIDE,.

THIS IS A FIRST STEP.

WAS SIGNED.

THIS IS THE FIRST STEP.

THIS IS NOT THE TOTAL PICTURE OR THE TOTAL PLAN OF HOW WE TAKE CARE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED, OUR PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED.

THIS BILL THAT WAS PASSED PUTS $115 MILLION ASIDE BASICALLY TO REPAIR INFRASTRUCTURE INTO WHERE HOMES WERE LOCATED ONCE UPON A TIME, WHERE BUSINESSES WERE LOCATED.

THIS ALSO GOES TO HELP LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT OF MONEY DOING WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING EVERY DAY TO DO THE CLEANUP, TO GET THINGS AT LEAST BACK SOMEWHAT ON ITS FEET.

THIS BILL ALSO DOES ADDRESS TEMPORARY HOUSING.

LET ME GIVE YOU JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.

AS WE SAT HERE TONIGHT, THERE IS SOMETHING LIKE 282 INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE STAYING IN 89 TRAVEL TRAILERS AS WE SIT HERE TONIGHT, SO THAT'S 89 HOUSEHOLDS, 282 PEOPLE.

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT OUR STATE PARKS ON JUST THE TEMPORARY HOUSING, OUR STATE PARKS ARE HOUSING 505 INDIVIDUALS WHICH ARE HOUSEHOLDS AS WELL.

JENNY WILEY, BUCKHORN AND CAR CREEK.

SOME OF THOSE ARE IN THE LODGE.

SOME MR. BE CA INS, COTTAGES AND SOME ARE MANY CA GROUNDS IN TRAVEL TRAILERS AS WELL.

CAMPGROUNDS.

WE ALSO, AS SENATOR STIVERS MENTIONED, SIGNED AN MOU, AS A MATTER OF FACT, TODAY WITH GOVERNOR EDWARDS IN LOUISIANA, FOR THEIR TRAVEL TRAILERS TO START COMING TO KENTUCKY, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED 145 OF THOSE THAT ARE NEEDED AS WE SIT HERE TONIGHT, AND THE MOU WOULD PERMIT UPS TO 300 AND IF WE NEED MORE WE WILL BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND DO ANOTHER MOU.

SO THE INTERMEDIATE TEMPORARY HOUSING IS BASICALLY BEING FUND IN THIS BILL.

WHAT THIS WILL DO ISAL ALLOW FOR FEMA TO COME IN ON THE BACK END OF THIS MONEY THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN TO RUN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE ELECTRICITY.

WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 40 MORE SITES TODAY BASICALLY IN KNOT COUNTY.

I'M ON A CALL MCGOVERN A 10:00 TO THE UPDATE, COUNTY JUDGES, EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.

WE IDENTIFIED ANOTHER 40 TRAVEL TRAILER THAT WILL BE HEADED THAT WAY THIS WEEK FOR MORE FAMILIES TO GO IN.

$45MILLION IN THIS BILL THAT WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE TO REPAIR BRIDGES, PROBABLY OVER 1,000 BRIDGES, I'M GUESSING BUT I WOULD SAY OVER 1,000 BRIDGES IN CULVERT COUNTY, PRIVATE STATE BRIDGES, SO $45 MILLION THAT WAS TAKEN FROM BASICALLY THE BUDGET RESERVE TRUST FUND, MOVED TO TRANSPORTATION TO DO THIS.

THAT ASSESSMENT IS BEING DONE AND WORK IS BEING DONE, AS WE SAID HERE TONIGHT.

AND THEN $40 MILLION OF THE $212 MILLION FOR EDUCATION.

1346 OUR SCHOOLS ARE OUT A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS ALREADY BEING CLEANED UP 1 DOING THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO GET THESE KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL AS WE SPEAK HERE TONIGHT, AND YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THOSE DISTRICT THAT ARE BASICALLY DOING THAT.

SO THIS IS A FIRST STEP.

I THINK IT'S A BOLD RESPONSE.

ARE WE DONE?

NO.

THIS IS THE SHORT TERM RESPONSE TO GET PEOPLE IN A SHELTER WITH ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD BEFORE COLD WEATHER, PLAN OUT THIS LONG TERM, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A LONG TERM UNTIL JANUARY.

WE'LL BE BACK SOON.

BUT WHEN WE PUT THIS IN PLACE, AND IT'S BEEN MENTIONED HERE AGAIN ABOUT HOW WE GET PEOPLE UP OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN, HOW WE BASICALLY PLAN THE TYPES OF PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WON'T HAVE TO SUFFER FROM THIS AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN FOR.

WE'RE IN FOR THE LONG HAUL.

>> SENATOR ADKINS, I WANT TO TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING YOU SAID.

ARE YOU SAYING THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER SPECIAL SESSIONSOME.

>> NO, WHAT I SAID IS WE'LL BE BACK IN JANUARY, AND WHEN I SAID SAID WE'LL BE BACK SOON, YARN IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

THIS BILL IS NOW IN PLACE.

MONEY CAN START TO GO OUT THE DOOR.

WE'LL USE THE SAME MECHANISM THAT WE USED AS FAR AS DMV JUST LIKE WE DID FOR THE WEST KENTUCKY RELIEF FUND.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS UNBELIEVABLE.

JEREMY SLINKER, HIS TEAM AND THE REST OF THE TEAM ON THE GROUND BASICALLY TAKING APPLICATIONS, GETTING MONEY OUT ON THE GROUND TO THOSE IMPACTED AREAS.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD, TO BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU, RENEE, TOO MUCH PRACTICE AT THIS.

WEST KENTUCKY, THE TORNADOES.

A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

ICE STORMS, MORE FLOODING, AND NOW DEVASTATING FLOODING.

SO I WOULD JUST TELL YOU THAT JEREMY SLINKER, THE EMERGENCY OPERATION MANAGERS IN THE LOCAL COUNTIES THEMSELVES, THE CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING ON THERE EVERY DAY, THE NATIONAL GUARD, THIS IS A VERY ORGANIZED EFFORT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THIS RIGHT AND TO MAKE SURE WE LIFT UP THOSE VERY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED, THAT HELPED BUILD AMERICA.

THESE ARE THE LITTLE COMMUNITIES THAT MINE THE COAL, THAT PROVIDED THE ENERGY TO HELP US WIN TWO WORLD WARS.

THESE ARE THE LITTLE COMMUNITIES THAT HAD THE INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDED THAT ENERGY RESOURCE TO BUILD THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION OF THIS WORLD WAS CREATED, THE STRONGEST MIDDLE CLASS EVER KNOWN.

THAT'S WHO BASICALLY THESE COMMUNITIES ARE.

THAT'S WHO THEY'RE MADE OF.

THESE ARE STRONG PEOPLE.

IT'S NOW OUR TIME, AND AMERICA'S TIME TO HELP REBUILD THOSE VERY COMMUNITIES THAT HELP BUILD AMERICA.

>> SO WHEN YOU COME BACK IN JANUARY, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THERE WILL NOT BE A TIME IN BETWEEN WHAT YOU HAVE DONE -- YOU CAN SAY THAT WITH CERTAINTY, THAT THE SPECIAL SESSION THAT ENDED ON FRIDAY, THAT THE NEXT RESPONSE WHEN IT COMES TO EASTERN E. CAN FLOODING WILL BE WHEN YOU VEEN IN JANUARY?

I'M LOOKING AT VERSE.

>> I THINK WE'RE IN PLACE TO HAVE A REALLY STRONG RESPONSE OUT OF THIS BILL THAT WAS PASSED.

THE LEGISLATURE CAME TOGETHER.

I SEE NOT ANY NEED FOR A SPECIAL SESSION BEFORE JANUARY.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN.

OF COURSE, IF A NEED WOULD ARISE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WOULD BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD NEED TO BE THERE, WELL, SURE.

BUT RIGHT NOW WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE PLAN WITH THE RESOURCES TO BASICALLY HELP WITH THIS INITIAL RESPONSE, THE SHORT-TERM RESPONSE TO GET US IN A POSITION TO TAKE THAT STEP TWO, THAT STEP TWO FOR THIS LONG-TERM REBUILD THAT WE'RE A COMMITTED TO.

>> I WANT TO GO TO YOU, REPRESENTATIVE WEBB.

SHOWS YOU HOW OLD I AM.

SENATOR WEBB.

SORRY.

I'M GOING WAY BACK, AREN'T I?

LONG-TERM RECOVERY.

SO IS THERE NYAD OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE?

-- IDEA OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE?

>> IT'S INCREMENTAL BUT THIS IS ALL INCREMENTAL.

INFRASTRUCTURE TO ME IS GOING TO BE SUCH A CHALLENGE.

IT'S A CHALLENGE BEFORE THE FLOOD.

I'VE WORKED ON WATER AND SEWER ISSUES SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE RECENTLY WITH SOME OF THE DISTRICTS THAT WERE ON THE CUSP OF FAILURE, AND HERE WE ARE FACING MONUMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES, NOT ONLY IN TRANSPORTATION AND BRIDGES.

I'VE BEEN TO EVERY HOLLER DOWN THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF COSTS.

AND THEN WATER AND SEWER, ELECTRIC.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE?

THERE'S EVEN TALK OF RELOCATING THE SCHOOLS, WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE BEST, ALL THE WHILE WHILE WE'RE LOSING PROPERTY VALUE AND TAX MONEY, SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS FOR LONG-TERM PLANNING.

BUDGET PERSON IN ME WANTS TO ADDRESS FIRST.

SO -- AND THERE'S ALSO -- YOU HAVE TO DOVETAIL IT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

YOU'VE GOT TO DOVETAIL IT WITH FEMA, AND THAT'S ONE REASON THE AMENDMENT, MY LEGAL COUNSEL OVER HERE CAN GIVE A GOOD ASSESSMENT OF THAT, SENATOR STIVERS, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT IT HAS TO DOVETAIL WITH FEMA.

FOR TO US MAXIMIZE AND WE ALL GET FRUSTRATED WITH FEMA.

WE ALL GET FRUSTRATED WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS.

BUT CERTAINLY THAT ALL HAS TO HAPPEN IN OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT AND FINANCE DISTRIBUTION HERE, OUR TAX STRUCTURE, SO ASSESSMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND WE'RE ALL NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY WITH THE TIMELINE BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT EFFICIENTLY AND BE GOOD STEWARDS OF EVERY EVERYTHING AND FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE, WE'VE GOT TO INVENTORY, ASSESS, AND CREATE A PLAN THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ALLUDED TO ON ALL OF THOSE FRONTS AND MORE.

IT'S GOING TO BE FRUSTRATING, AND IT'S GOING TO -- IT'S HARD BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN THE ASSESSMENT PHASE.

>> SO SPEAKING OF THE MORE, THERE'S BEEN QUITE A FEW STORIES, REPRESENTATIVE BLANTON, ABOUT WHETHER STRIP MINING HAD ANY IMPACT ON THE SEVERITY OF THE FLOODING ALONG WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, SO ONE OF THOSE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS, IS IT A LOOK AT WHETHER THE REGULATIONS CURRENTLY IN PLACE FOR STRIP MINING ARE STRINGENT ENOUGH?

AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS WILLING TO EVEN DO A TASK FORCE ON TO STUDY THE IMPACT OR THE CORRELATION BETWEEN STRIP MINING AND THE SEVERITY OF FLOODS AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS THAT COULD COME?

>> WELL, OBVIOUSLY TASK FORCE LIE IN THE HANDS OF OUR LEADERSHIP.

WE WOULD HAVE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING.

BUT TO BEGIN TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF STRIP MINING IN THE AREA, ADDING TO OR CAUSING THIS FLOODING, LOOK, RENEE, WHEN YOU HAVE 11 OR 12 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN THE HOLLOWS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY, I DON'T CARE WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE PRIOR TO, YOU WEREN'T GOING TO KEEP THE FLOODING FROM HAPPENING.

SO TO SAY THAT IT'S A CAUSE, I CAN'T SAY THAT.

I DON'T KNOW FOR CERTAIN.

BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DO WE NEED TO DREDGE CREEKS, DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT DOING STREAMS AND SO FORTH, YOU KNOW, AND WE BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

YOU KNOW, CLIMATE CHANGE IS REALLY NOT AN ISSUE THAT WHEN WE'VE GOT 39 PEOPLE THAT'S LOST THEIR LIVES DUE TO FLOODING IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, IT'S SUCH A -- IT'S SUCH A DIVISIVE TOPIC TO SOME BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A GROUP THAT DENIES IT, WE'VE GOT SOME THAT SAYS IT IS.

DID CLIMATE CHANGE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS?

THE CLIMATE HAS BEEN CHANGING EVER SINCE THE EARTH HAS EXISTED.

DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS?

I HAVE NO IDEA.

I'M NO EXPERT.

BUT I KNOW MY PEOPLE ARE HURTING AND THEY MADE THEIR LIVING AND RAISED THEIR FAMILIES IN THOSE STRIP MINES.

MY FATHER WORKED IN MANY OF THOSE STRIP EYEWITNESS OPERATING A DOZER UP THERE.

DID IT ADD TO OR CAUSE THIS TO BE WORSE THAN WHAT IT COULD HAVE?

I DON'T KNOW.

WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE.

I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWERS TO IT.

I WOULD BE OPEN TO SEEING DID IT CONTRIBUTE.

IF IT DOES, DO WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT?

WE'LL SEE.

>> SENATOR STIVERS, WOULD YOU ENTERTAIN THE MOTION OF A TASK FORCE FOR A SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO BE FORMED IN THE LEGISLATURE TO EVALUATE THAT CONNECTION?

>> YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN LEARNING THINGS THROUGH THE SCIENCE, BUT I FIND IT SOMEWHAT INTERESTING THAT INDIVIDUALS BEFORE THE 30 DAYS ON THE EMERGENCY ORDER HAD EVEN RUN HAD ALREADY COME TO A CONCLUSION THAT THIS WAS DUE PARTIALLY TOWARDS MINING.

I CAN'T SAY IT IS.

I CAN'T SAY IT ISN'T.

HAVEN'T BEEN FOCUSED ON IT.

I KNOW WHEN SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES FLEW DOWN THERE WITH THE COOPERATION OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO SEE THE DAMAGE FROM NORTHERN KENTUCKY AND WESTERN KENTUCKY AND LOUISVILLE, THEY WERE SURPRISED AT HOW MUCH LAND HADN'T BEEN TOUCHED BY MINING, BUT I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO WHAT JOHN SAYS.

YOU CAN'T PUT 11 INCHES OR 12 INCHES IN A 24-HOUR PERIOD IN LEXINGTON WITHOUT GETTING SOME SERIOUS FLOODING CONSEQUENCES, WHEN YOU PUT IN IT HILLS AND VALLEYS IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

>> DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S BEEN SAID VERY WELL.

10 TO OBVIOUSLY 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN LESS THE BE TO 12 INCHES OF RAIN IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS.

PROBABLY 5 OR 6 HAPPENED WITHIN A FIVE OR SIX HOUR PERIOD.

MY FIRST TEXT MESSAGE WAS LIKE AT 3:30 A.M., AND IT WAS FROM CHRIS FUGUEAT IN HAZARD, KENTUCKY IN PERRY COUNTY.

HE SAID, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

I THINK IT WAS MORE WATER, MORE RAIN THAN ANY REGION, ANY AREA CAN HANDLE, TO BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU.

I THINK THIS MAGNITUDE, MORE HAD SEEN.

ANGIE, I HAVE HEARD YOU SAY EVER IN THE AREA OF WHITESBURG AND LETCHER COUNTY.

I JUST THINK THAT WAS A NATURAL DISASTER THAT HAPPENED.

THE CAUSE, WE CAN DEBATE THAT.

BUT I WOULD TELL YOU THAT 10 INCHES, 11, 12 INCHES OF RAIN HERE 234 LEXINGTON OR ANY PLACE ELSE IS GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS ISSUE FOR ANY COMMUNITY TO HANDLE, SO I WOULD TELL YOU THAT WHATEVER WE CAN DO IN THE FUTURE, OUR MAIN FOCUS IS REBUILDING EASTERN KENTUCKY.

>> BUT DO YOU SEE ANY VALUE IN STUDYING WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS A CONNECTION?

>> I'LL LET THE EXPERTS HANDLE THAT, THE EXPERTS THAT ARE IN THAT FIELD.

>> THE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT CABINET THAT'S UNDERNEATH THE PURVIEW OF THE BESHEAR ADMINISTRATION, IS IT SOMETHING THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO?

>> I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO NOW, RENEE, AND I'M NOT EVADING YOUR QUESTION AT ALL, TO SIT HERE AND BLAME AN INDUSTRY THAT I FELT LIKE HELPED BUILD OUR REGION IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEBATE, WHERE PEOPLE WORKED TO MICHAILOV, BUT I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT -- MAKE A LIVING, BUT 10 TO 12 INCHES OF RAIN HAD MORE TO DO WITH THIS THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

DO WE NEED TO STUDY HOW TO CONTROL THAT MORE IN THE FUTURE?

DO WE NEED TO STUDY HOW WE BUILD A ROAD?

ANY OF THOSE THINGS PEOPLE WANT TO LOOK AT WE'D BE OPEN TO DO THAT.

>> SENATOR WEBB.

>> I'M JUST AN OLD COAL MINER, BUT I GUARANTEE THIS, AND I'VE ALREADY HEARD THE DISCUSSION THAT MANY OF THOSE RECLAIM MINE LANDS IN PLACES WHERE STRIP MINING HAS BECOME ARE GOING TO BE VERY VALUABLE.

AS YOU PLAN AND MOVE FORWARD IN GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN.

IF YOU LOOK WHERE HOSPITAL IS NOW, IF YOU LOOK WHERE THINGS ARE NOW, NATURAL HYDROLOGY, EROSION, MINING OR NOT, WHETHER IT'S FARMLAND OR NORMAL LAND USE, BUT A PROBLEM, AND JOHN ALLUDED TO IT EARLIER, WAS THESE CREEKS ARE FILLING -- FILLED UP WITH SILT, AND THERE'S REALLY NOT MUCH REMEDY TO DO THAT.

NOW, THIS IS GOING TO COMPOUND THAT PROBLEM FOR MANY OF OUR AREAS IN SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD RATHER SEE STUDIED.

THERE'S NO SERVICE MINE REALLY GOING ON NOW.

WHAT IS GOING ON IS THE SILTATION OF THE WATERWAYS, AND THAT TO ME IS WHAT SHOULD BE STUDIED.

>> .

>> I THINK THAT ALL LEARNING IS USEFUL AND THAT WE DO NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CHANGED.

ONE THING THAT IS REALLY BALANCE OFFING IS THAT ONLY ABOUT D. BAFFLENING ONLY 12% OF THE PROPERTIES WERE IN THE FLOODPLAIN, AND SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO PREDICT WHO NEEDED FLOOD INSURANCE, ONLY BETWEEN.

% AND 2.5% OF PEOPLE HAD FLOOD INSURANCE.

WE DON'T HAVE AN ENTIRE SHOW FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT HOW WOEFULLY FLOOD INSURANCE HAS BEEN IN EASTERN KENTUCKY AND THE VILABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF IT BUT ALSO JUST THE FACT THAT THAT FLOODPLAIN IS SO BADLY INACCURATE THAT, I MEAN, IT MAY HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH RECONTOURING MOUNTAINS.

LOVE MINING, HATE MINING, BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE, DON'T BELIEVABLE IN CLIMATE CHANGE, WHEN YOU YOU CHANGE A MOUNTAIN IT MAY WELL CHANGE THE FLOODPLAIN AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE PLACES WE DESIGNATE AS FLOODPLAINS NEED TO BE KEPT UP.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THEY WERE LOOKED AT.

>> THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE OUTDATED MAPS, HOW OUTDATED ARE THEY.

>> I'M LEARNING ALL KIND OF NEW STUFF.

I THINK WE'RE ALL BECOMING EXPERTS IN FLOOD RECOVERY THAT WE -- >> SO NOW THE COUNTIES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE FLOODS, THEY NOW GOING TO BE CLASSIFIED AS BEING IN FLOODPLAIN?

>> WE ARE VERY WORRIED THAT A VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR COUNTY IS NOW GOING TO BE FLOODPLAIN, WHICH IS GOING TO, OF COURSE, AFFECT PROPERTY VALUES, AFFECT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE ABLE TO REBILL THERE, AND LONG-TERM AFFECT WHETHER OUR CURRENT COMMUNITIES ARE VIABLE, SO LONG TERM WE'VE GOT TO BE LOOKING AT FLOOD-PROOFING OUR REGION, NOT JUST RACKETING TO DISASTERS JOE ARE YOU SAYING IT WOULD BE BAD IF SOME OF THESE COUNTIES ARE DESIGNATED IN A FLOODPLAIN, THAT THAT WOULD HAVE SOME VERY ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT MAY WELL BUT WE NEED TO KNOW IF WE'RE IN AREAS THAT NEED FLOOD INSURANCE, AND NO ONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS.

HONESTLY, THIS IS A 1,000-YEAR FLOOD.

SO AMOUNT WITHOUT A KRYSTLE BALL WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PREDICT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED BUT I DO WISH WE HAD AN MORE ACCURATE IDEA OF AREAS THAT WOULD FLOOD.

LONG-TERM WE'VE GOT TO FLOOD PROOF OUR BRIDGES AND DREDGE OUR CREEKS.

IF WE DON'T WE'RE GOING TO SACRIFICE OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND WAY OF LIVING FOR SOME ARBITRARY RULES ABOUT PROTECTION OF STREAMS THAT NEED TO BE REALISTIC.

>> PRESIDENT STIVERS.

>> I SAID THAT WE ARE VERY MUCH ABOUT THE SCIENCE, BUT NEVER KNOW WHAT THE SCIENCE IS GOING TO BE FROM DAY TO DAY.

PRIOR TO THE COAL BOOMS OF THE '50s, '60s AND '70s, AND THE HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN THAT WAS PUT OUT THERE, FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN'T LET A GONE IF YOUR STRUCTURE IS WITH THE HUNDRED YEAR PLUD P. YOU CAN'T DO A SEPTIC FIELD BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN BECAUSE OF THE LEACH LINES.

THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE SAYING A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN.

HAD WAS BEYOND THAT IN MANY INSTANCES, AND I DIDN'T KNOW THE EXACT PERCENTAGE.

BUT HERE'S WHAT I WANT TO ASK PEOPLE.

THEY DRAWING HYDROLOGY.

WHY DID THE TBA AND THE ARMY CORPS ARE ENGINEERS LONG BEFORE ANYTHING RELATED THE TO BOOMING OF THE COAL INDUSTRY IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, IN EASTERN TENNESSEE DECIDE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD A WHOLE SERIES OF FLOOD CONTROL LAKES, AND IT WASN'T ANY MINING.

IT'S BECAUSE YOU HAD HILLS THAT CREATED IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS WHERE LARGE RAINFALLS CREATED FLOODING OPPORTUNITIES.

AND I SAW AN ARTICLE IN THE HERALD-LEADER, AND I'M GOING TO ASK ANGIE, WHEN WAS CAR FORT DAM BUILT?

BEFORE AND YOU ME WERE BORN.

SO THAT'S SOME 60 YEARS FOR ME, AND A PERSON WROTE AN ARTICLE IN THE HERALD-LEADER SAYING HE WAS OPPOSED TO THE BUILDINGS OF THE CAR FORT LAKE BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS WRONG AT THE TIME IT WAS DONE, BUT NOW HE SEES WHAT IT DID BECAUSE ANYTHING BELOW THE DAM WAS SAFE.

THINGS BEHIND THE DAM ARE THE ONES THAT GOT FLOODED.

SO WHAT WAS THE SCIENCE IN THE 1920S AND '30s WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LOOKED AT THAT, BUT NOW THEY WILL NOT COMMISSION AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN EARTHEN MANMADE DAM OR LAKE CREATED IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE PAST 50 YEARS.

TOTAL CHANGE IN DIRECTION THAN WHAT IT WAS IN THE '20s, '30s AND '40S.

>> TO SENATOR WEBB'S POINT, IN QUESTION FROM ROBERT COUPLING, HE ASKED, COULD YOU START USING RECLAIMED MOUNTAINTOP TO MOVE PEOPLE OUT OF THE FLOODPLAINS TO THE FLAT LAND TO LESSEN THE DAMAGE THE THAT COME FROM THE FLOODS?

WHAT CAN STATE LAWMAKERS DO TO ENCOURAGE THAT?

>> I'M GOING TO SAY USE THE TERM FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE THERE'S FIVE OF US AROUND THE TABLE, AND WE, NOT ME OR HIM OR YOU OR I, STARTED HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS VIRTUALLY THE VERY FIRST DAY THAT WE GOT ON A CONFERENCE CALL TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT IF WE HAD THE MONEY TO REBUILD, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE SUPPLIES, NOR DO YOU HAVE THE BUILDINGS AND TRADES THERE TO DO THIS, THE CAPACITY, WHICH I THINK ONE QUESTION WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT, SO THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST TOPICS, AND THIS WAS WITHIN A DAY OR TWO BECAUSE WE UNDERSTOOD CHANGING HOUSING PATTERNS.

WHEN YOU GO IN THERE, I'LL GO BACK TO MY COLLEAGUES FROM NORTHERN KENTUCKY AND LOUISVILLE, THEY SAID, WOW, WHY DON'T YOU BUILD ON THESE AREAS?

CHECK AND MAKE SURE IT HAS ADEQUATE SUB-SURFACE CALL THE QUALITY TO BUILD AND BUILD AND MOVE TO THAT AREA BECAUSE YOU SEE A LOT OF PLACES THIS HAPPENS.

IT CAN BE CRITICAL AND CAN BE A USEFULLY TOOL TO TOTAL CHANGE HOUSING PATTERNS AND MAKE EVERYTHING A LOT SAFER.

>> REPRESENTATIVE BLANTON.

>> SO IN KNOTT COUNTY WE ALREADY HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT'S BEEN BUILDING FOR SOME TIME UP ON THESE ABANDONED STRIP MINES.

WE ALSO HAVE LAND THAT HAS INFRASTRUCTURE ALREADY IN PLACE.

ONE OF THEM EVEN HAS A REHABILITATION CENTER UP ON IT.

ONE OF THEM HAS A SPORTSPLEX.

SO WE ALREADY HAVE WATER UP THERE.

WE HAVE SEWAGE THERE WEEK ELECTRICITY IS THERE.

AND SO YOU SAID HOW DO WE HELP THEM.

FIRST OF ALL WE PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE.

WHAT WE DO IS WE PROVIDE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING BY UTILIZING THESE PREVIOUSLY USED STRIP MINES FOR PROPERTY THAT THEY CAN COME IN AND BUILD HOMES ON AND FEEL SAFE WHEN THE RAIN COMES.

I MEAN, WE'RE STILL ON THAT -- IN THAT TIME PERIOD WHEN THE RAIN, WE START SEEING THE RAIN TODAY, EVERYBODY UP EAST STARTS GETTING CONCERNED, RIGHT?

THERE'S STILL THAT SHELL SHOCK, IF YOU WILL, TO USE THAT TERM, WHEN WE SEE IT.

P SO WE PUT THEM IN A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE SAFE FROM THE FLOODING, AND SOME OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS 234 PLACE, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE CONTINUE IMPROVING PONE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACES THAT WE CAN, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO, AND LET'S BE VERY FRANK ABOUT IT.

THERE WILL BE SOME PEOPLE, BECAUSE AGAIN SERRANO EVER WE'RE VERY STRONG-WILLED IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE.

HA WAS THEIR GRANDPA'S, GREAT GRANDPA'S PROPERTY AND THEY'RE NOT LEAVING.

THAT'S THEIR DECISION TO MAKE BUT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES RATHER THAN JUST PUT $50 MILLION IN A FUND AND SAY, LOOK WHAT WE DID, WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE THE WELL-THOUGHT OUT PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE DO COME UP WITH A DECISION, THAT THINGS ARE APPLIED PROPERLY, MOST EFFICIENTLY AND MOST EFFECTIVELY FOR OUR PEOPLE, AND RUSHING TO MAKE A DECISION THAT'S UNPLANNED AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT DIRECTION IT'S GOING TO GO, THAT'S JUST NOT WISE OUR PART.

KEEP IN MIND WE ALSO STILL HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO TAXPAYERS TO SPEND THEIR MONEY WISELY AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

>> SO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THERE.

ON THE FLOOR ON FRIDAY, I BELIEVE YOU HAD SOME VERY STRONG WORDS FOR FEMA AND ENCOURAGED THE FEDERAL DELEGATION TO HELP FEMA GET ITS ACT TOGETHER.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

IF YOU WILL RESPOND TO THAT, HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE RESPONSE BY FEMA WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET IN TERMS OF INDIVIDUAL INCENTIVES, IT RANGES, BUT MANY PEOPLE SAY IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH.

>> WELL, MY WORDS WERE VERY STRONG BECAUSE I'M VERY FRUSTRATED, AS ARE ALL OF OUR LEGISLATORS AND THE PEOPLE THAT'S BEEN IMPACTED THAT'S HAD TO DEAL WITH FEMA.

A LOT OF IT'S JUST THE RED TAPE, THAT THERE'S NO REASON THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE TO BE GOING THROUGH THAT.

THEY HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS WITH SOME OF THAT ON THE RED TAPE SIDE.

I'M STILL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNTS OF THAT THEY'RE PUTTING FORTH TO PEOPLE.

HOPEFULLY THAT WILL IMPROVE AS THE RESPONSE FROM THEM HAS.

BUT, YES, I CALLED UPON OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION AND EVERY FEDERAL DELEGATION ACROSS THIS COUNTRY TO FIX FEMA AND GET THIS PROBLEM SO NO OTHER COMMUNITY HAS TO GO THROUGH WHAT OUR PEOPLE WENT THROUGH.

>> PRESIDENT STRIVERS STIVERS, THERE A SENSE FROM PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE TALKED TO THAT THEY WANT TO BE MADE WHOLE, NOT PART, THEY WANT TO BE MADE WHOLE?

>> LET ME GO BACK TO SOMETHING THAT ANGIE SAID.

WHEN PEOPLE THE PEOPLE SAW IS SAYING GO ON YOUR LAPTOP AND FILL ON IT A FORM, WHEN YOU DO NOT OF A CAN OF SOUP OR A POT TO PEE IN, HOW DO YOU GO UP ON YOUR LAPTOP?

AND THE SYSTEM KICKED OUT PEOPLE FOR UNDESIGNATED FIELDS LIKE NOT HAVING A MIDDLE NAME.

WELL, SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A MIDDLE NAME.

AND THAT'S THE PROBLEMS WITH GETTING THIS THROUGH.

NOW, I WANT TO GO BACK.

I LOST SOMEWHAT OF YOUR QUESTION.

>> ABOUT PEOPLE MAYBE HAVE THE EXPECTATION THEY'RE GOING TO BE MADE WHOLE.

>> AND HERE IS THE CRITICAL THING THAT ROBIN WAS REFERRING TO, IS 312 OF THE STAFFORD ACT.

IF YOU HAVE A DUPLICATIVE OR COLLATERAL SOURCE, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE MADE WHOLE.

THAT'S WHY IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT IF YOU GET FROM A FOUNDATION $2,500, THAT'S GOING TO BE COUNTED AGAINST YOU WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR FEMA APPLICATION, SO ONCE YOUR FEMA RESOURCES ARE EXHAUSTED, THEN GO TO THE FOUNDATION.

THAT'S THE WAY YOU MAXIMIZE ALL FUNDS, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS -- >> BUT MANY PEOPLE PROBLEM DON'T KNOW THAT, RIGHT?

>> AND WE TRIED TO SAY THAT.

I SAID IT ON THE FLOOR.

I SPOKE TWICE.

THIS IS, RENEE, WHERE YOU AND THE MEDIA COMES IN.

EXHAUST YOUR FEMA MONEYS, THEN THERE WILL BE MONEYS THERE TO MAKE YOU OR TRY TO MAKE YOU -- WE CAN'T GUARANTEE EVERYTHING, BUT IF YOU NEED $20,000 IN FEMA AND YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN 10, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT 10 AWAY FROM YOU AND ONLY GIVE YOU 10, WHERE IF YOU NEEDED 27, YOU GET THE 20 FROM THEM AND ANOTHER 7500 FROM ANOTHER OTHERS.

AND THAT'S WHY IT IS SO CRITICAL AND PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND SECTION 312 STAFFORD ACT.

>> OKAY.

312 STAFFORD ACT.

WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM?

>> FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

IT'S ALL THE THINGS AROUND PHENYL A AND NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE A DUPLICATIVE OR COLLATERAL SOURCE OF FUNDING.

>> BUT HOW DO PEOPLE KNOW ALL THAT THOUGH?

>> RENEE, IT IS VERY CONFUSING.

THERE ARE A LOT OF HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT DISTRAUGHT AND HOMELESSNESS AND MUDDY AND YOU CAN'T EVEN FIND YOUR ID OR YOUR DEED OR THINGS LIKE THAT, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT, THESE ARE DIFFICULT HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND THEORY ALL BEING TOLD THEY HAVE TO REPEAL, AND WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE INADEQUACY OF THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT, WHICH IS $37,900, WHICH WILL NOT REBUILD YOUR HOME.

IT MIGHT REFLOOR AND FIXED YOUR GARAGE OR FIX YOUR DRIVEWAY, YOUR PRIVATE BRIDGE, BUT EVEN THOUGH THAT $37,000 IS COMPLETELY INADEQUATE, HARDLY ANYONE IS GETTING THAT.

THE FIGURES 4100 CLAIMS THE AVERAGE WAS $2,200.

AND OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS THE AVERAGE FLOOD CLAIM AT ALL HAS BEEN $4,000.

I MEAN, IT'S INSULTING.

THESE PEOPLE HAVE LOST EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE WORKED SO HARD FOR, AND THEN THEY JUST -- THEY WATCH IT WASH DOWN THE CREEK OR PILE UP IN BIG MUDDY PILES IN THEIR YARD, AND THEN THEY'RE TOLD BY FEMA HERE'S $195.

NEACE WHAT YOU CAN GET.

AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO APPROVE OWNERSHIP.

PEOPLE DON'T TEND TO PROBATE THEIR WILLS IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S INSULTING AND IT IS HAS GOT TO BE FIXED.

LIKE I'VE BEEN TELLING OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND LISTENING AND TALKING BUT WE NEED MORE THAN TALK.

YOU NEED TO HELP US OR HUSH.

>> BUT PERHAPS IF I'M IN EASTERN KENTUCKY AND I HAVE SUFFERED AND I HEAR THAT THE STATE IS SITTING ON $2.7 BILLION, MAYBE I SHOULD BE GETTING SOME OF THAT DIRECTLY.

>> WELL, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, WE DEFINITELY ARE PUTTING MONEY TOWARD INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WILL HELP US.

>> BUT INDIVIDUALS.

INDIVIDUAL.

>> WE HAVE LEGALITY PROBLEMS WITH BUILDINGS THINGS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND HANDITTING IT TO THEM AND WE NEED TO DO THAT FAIRLY IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

>> WHAT'S THE PARALEGAL PROBLEM WITH THAT?

>> FIRST OFF, 312 STAFFORD ACT.

IT WOULD PRECLUDE ACCESS TO FEDERAL DOLLARS IN MANY INSTANCES, AND I AGREE WITH ANGIE ON.

IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN.

IT JUST HAS TO BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES THROUGH FEMA THAT WE WANT TO MAKE THEM THE FIRST STEP, AND IF THEY CAN'T -- AND, LOOK, YOU'RE LOOKING IT'S A PERSON WHO HAD ONE OF THE MOST FORTUNATE WEEKENDS YOU COULD HAVE, RIMMING OUT CARPET THAT LEAKED ALL OVER YOU, CLEANING OUT DIRTY REFRIGERATORS WITH SOURED FOOD, HAULING OFF A FLEXIBLE DUCTWORK FROM UNDERNEATH A HOUSE, FRAMING AND PUSHING 2 INCHES MUD.

THAT WAS A FOREIGN WEEKEND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND I SPENT ONE OF THOSE WEEKENDS AND FEEL FORTUNATE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

BUT THAT'S $20,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE.

BUT -- AND THAT'S WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO IN ANY WAY IMPEDE YOUR ACCESS TO THE FEDERAL DOLLARS BY US INFUSING YOU, BECAUSE IF WE DO, IT IS SET OUT IN THAT SECTION, THEN YOU LOSE ACCESS TO THOSE OTHER FEMA FEDERAL DOLLARS.

>> RIGHT.

SO WOULD IT BE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO GET AS MUCH AS THEY CAN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FIRST SO THAT BY THE TIME YOU GO INTO SESSION IN 2023, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE FOR THEMSOME.

>> CORRECT.

>> LET'S JUST MAKE IT PLAIN.

>> CORRECT, THAT OR FOUNDATIONS THAT HAVE RAISED MONEY SPECIFICALLY FOR -- >> FOUNDATION PLAYING.

KENTUCKY WE KNOW THEY ARE HELPING IN THAT AND OTHERS ARE DOING THAT, LEGAL AID.

>> HUMANITIES AND SERVICE PROJECTS.

>> THERE'S ALL KINDS GROUPS THAT'S RAISING MONEY.

THAT'S WHY I'VE ASKED GENERAL CAMERON TO LOOK INTO ALL THESE GROUPS AND MAKE SURE IT'S COMING IN TO THE INDIVIDUALS TO SEE THAT THEY'RE GETTING THAT FUNDING, BUT THERE'S MILLIONS AND MILLIONS DOLLARS AND THEY HAVE TO ACCESS THOSE, SO -- BUT AGAIN, AS THE SENATOR SAYS, THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR FEDERAL DOLLARS FIRST.

>> RENEE, IF I CAN SAY REAL QUICK, LET ME JUST SAY THIS, I WAS IN ONE OF THE MOST COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS I'VE BEEN IN IN SOME TIME SINCE I SERVED IN STATE GOVERNMENT, AND THAT WAS A MEETING AT THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM WHERE THE GOVERNOR HAD CALLED TOGETHER WEEK ALONG WITH JEREMY SCHLINKER, A BROAD-BASED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS TO TRY TO STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS THAT ALL OF US ARE SO FRUSTRATED WITH.

WE HAD THE MAIN PEOPLE IN BASICALLY WITH FEMA SITTING ON ONE SIDE OF THIS AUDITORIUM.

WE HAD AT THE CENTER TABLE COUNTY JUDGES AND MAYORS THAT HAD BEEN IMPACTED WEEK ALONG WITH THE GOVERNOR AND JEREMYY SH SCHLINKER AND ALONG WITH THE MAIN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S HEADING UP FEMA IN THE REGION.

WE HAD THE REGULATOR SITTING ON THE END AND WE HAD THE CABINET SECRETARY SITTING ON THE OTHER SIDE.

AND THERE WAS A VERY FRANK CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THIS RESPONSE NEEDS TO IMPROVE, A VERY FRANK CONVERSATION OF HOW WE CAN HELP ON THE GROUND TO BE ABLE TO DO NOT ONLY THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT BUT THE LONG-TERM.

IT WAS A VERY FRANK CONVERSATION THAT WE ARE FRUSTRATED.

IT WAS A VERY FRANK CONVERSATION, HOW DO YOU FIX THIS, FEMA?

HOW DO YOU FIX THIS FROM RURAL DEVELOPMENT, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO COORDINATE AND COLLABORATE BETTER NOT ONLY WITH US AT THE STATE IS LEVEL BUT ALSO WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AS WELL.

THAT MEETING WAS ONE OF THE MEETINGS THAT I BELIEVE REALLY GOT THROUGH TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CHAM IN FROM ATLANTA.

THEY FLEW IN FROM DC.

THEY CAME THERE AND IT WAS LIKE A TWO-HOUR MEETING.

AND THIS MEETING WAS ABOUT STREAMLINING THIS PROCESS TO HELP PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED, THAT HAVE BEEN HURT, WHO ARE WAITING ON THIS HELP TO EITHER BE IN A TEMPORARY OR TRY TO DO SOMETHING TO GET BACK IN THEIR HOME.

I THINK THIS MEETING HELPED.

I THINK IT MOVED IT TO WHERE NOW DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE AND THE EXACT THERE IS CENTERS LOCALLY INSTEAD OF GOING UP THROUGH THE PIPELINE AS IT NORMALLY WOULD HAVE TO GO WITH FEMA.

SO THE GOVERNOR IS WORKING AHEAD ON THAT EVERY DAY.

>> CBD THE CHECKS ARE BEING CUT FASTER?

>> WELL, WE KNOW THAT THE APPROVAL RATE HAS IMPROVED.

WE'VE SEEN THAT SINCE THOSE MEETINGS.

THE APPROVAL RATE AS FAR AS DENIAL HAVE BEEN BETTER.

WE HAVE SEEN THAT.

ARE THEY TO WHERE WE WANT THEM?

NO.

>> AND THEN THE APPEALS PROCESS, HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE?

>> WELL, THAT WAS ANOTHER PART OF THIS MEETING, WAS HOW YOU STREAMLINE THAT APPEALS PROCESS AND HOW YOU GET THE WORD OUT THROUGH THESE ONE STOP CENTERS, I'M GOING TO CALL THEM, IN EACH ONE OF COUNTIES THAT HAD BEEN IMPACTED.

SO THAT WORD IS GOING TO ON WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN THERE.

EVERY ONE OF THOSE APPEALS ARE BEING REVIEWED, EVERY ONE OF THEM.

>> EVERY UNFUNDED WITH THEM.

>> EVERY ONE OF THEM THAT HAVE BEEN DENIED.

>> IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'LL BE REVERSED.

IT JUST MEANS THEY'LL BE REVIEWED.

>> THEY WILL BE, BUT I THINK WITHOUT QUESTION THE WORD HAS COME DOWN FROM THE GOVERNOR AND OTHERS THAT THIS HAS TO BE FIXED, FOLKS HAVE BEEN HURT.

FEEL WAUGH WASN'T PUT THERE TO FIND WAY TO NOT DO SOMETHING.

THEY WERE PUT WILL TO FIND WAY TO DO SOMETHING.

I THINK WE'RE MAKING SOME IMPROVEMENT.

WE HAVE STILL GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.

>> THERE ARE LAWYERS VOLUNTEERING IN THE ASSISTANCE AND THE KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION AND OTHER ENTITIES TO ASSIST THOSE PEOPLE, SO DON'T HESITATE TO ASK.

>> PRO BONO?

>> ANY OF US LOCAL LAWYERS, WE CAN HOOK YOU UP.

>> YOU LAUGHED AT THAT.

>> THEY DON'T HAVE A POT TO PEE IN.

HOW ARE THEY GOING TO PAY FOR LAWYERS?

>> THOUGH ALL KNOW IT'S PRO BONO.

>> JUST WANT TO MAKE THE CLEAR.

MAKING IT PLAIN.

SO 2023, I MEAN, IT'S TOO EARLY TO KNOW.

YOU'RE STILL ASSESSING, RIGHT?

IT'S ONLY BEEN 30 DAYS OUT.

SO THINK THERE'S A CONCERN THAT THINGS, EVEN IN A 30-DAY SESSION, CAN BE DISTRACTING AND THERE IS SOME CONCERN THAT IN 2023 THIS MAY NOT BE THE PROCEDURE IT IS ON AUGUST THE 29th.

>> I DOUBT THAT.

>> AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THERE FOR.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET THIS TO GO A BACK BURNER.

THE WORLD MEDIA ATTENTION MAY HAVE MOVED ON FROM EASTERN KENTUCKY BUT THIS IS OUR HOME.

WE LIVE HERE, AND REPRESENTATIVE BLAINTON AND SENATOR WEBB AND I ARE NOT GOING TO LET PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT OUR HOME.

AS LONG AS WE HAVE ADVISES AND I'VE GOT ACCESS THE TO A MICROPHONE QUREIA GOING TO HEAR, AND I KNOW REPRESENTATIVE BASELINE AND WE ALL ARE NOT GOING TO LET THIS GO.

>> ALL FOUR OF US ARE PART OF THE MOUNTAIN CAUCUSES AND I THINK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WE START HEARING MORE ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN CAUCUS AND THE STRENGTH WE HAVE, AND A SURE YOU AND I SURE THE PEOPLE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS WILL BE A PRIORITY FOR THE MOUNTAIN CAUCUS GOING INTO THIS NEXT GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OUR VOICES WILL BE HEARD BECAUSE THEY WILL BE LOUD.

>> AND, RENEE, IF I CAN JUST QUICKLY SAY THAT IF YOU REMEMBER, THERE WERE DEVASTATING TORNADOES IN THE WEST, AND THAT REBUILD CONTINUES AS WELL ALONG WITH NOW IN THE EAST.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE -- >> AND THIS BILL ALSO ADDRESSED SOME OF THAT.

>> SOME OF THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH LOST REVENUE, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY TO YOU IS THERE WILL BE A VERY, SPEAKING AS A FORMER LEGISLATOR, I BELIEVE BEING A MEMBER OF THE MOUNTAIN CAUCUS AND STILL AM A MEMBER OF THE MOUNTAIN CAUCUS EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT SERVE IN THE LEGISLATURE, I THINK THERE WILL BE A VERY CONCERTED EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THESE TWO REGIONS ARE LIFTED UP.

I THINK EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THIS IS A SHORT-TERM FIX.

THIS IS A LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT AND COMMITMENT.

>> 20 SECONDS, SENATOR STIVERS.

>> IT WAS NOT RIPE DURING THE SESSION OF 2022, BUT IT WAS RIPE FOR THE SPECIAL SESSION AND WE DIDN'T FORGET WESTERN KENTUCKY.

SAME THING WILL APPLY HERE.

ONE QUICK THING.

YOU WON'T BELIEVE THE WORK THAT STATE HIGHWAY PEOPLE, COUNTY HIGHWAY PEOPLE, JUDGES AND MAYORS DID.

THE EMOTIONAL TOLL IT TOOK ON THEM WAS UNBELIEVABLE, AND IT IS AMAZING HOW THEY REACTED.

>> WELL, WE CAN'T SAY ENOUGH FOR OUR HEROS AND HELPERS FROM THE NATIONAL GUARD ON DOWN SO THANK YOU, SENATOR STIVERS, FOR ENDING THE CONVERSATION ON THAT NOTE.

I WILL SEE YOU TOMORROW NIGHT FOR "KENTUCKY EDITION" A 6:30 EASTERN, 5:30 CENTRAL.