Hurricane Floyd information and assistance for North Carolina flooding victims from Hugh D. Cox, Attorney in Greenville NC, proudly representing the disabled for rightful veterans benefits, Social Security benefits and Workers Compensation throughout  North Carolina

Why hurricane Floyd flood victims will NOT receive adequate federal or state help -- See Diary of Events below
(or why North Carolina hogs will have new and dry houses quicker than flooded-out people):

A Diary of Events for Educational Purposes (last updated on 06/15/2008):

38.  May 7, 2001 The News & Observer in an article entitled,  "Floyd funds go unspent, as storm victims wait" by Bob Williams   STAFF WRITER stated, "Little more than one-third of the state money meant to help the victims of Hurricane Floyd has been spent, even though it has been more than a year and a half since the big storm devastated much of Eastern North Carolina. A review of records found only about $310 million of the roughly $837 million in state money set aside for relief efforts has actually been paid out. Further, it appears the poorest victims of the historic storm are getting the least ..."

In another article on the same edition entitled, Legislators might recall, reallocate Floyd funds" by Bob Williams   STAFF WRITER: "North Carolina legislators are eying hundreds of millions of dollars in unspent Hurricane Floyd relief funds to help cover the state's budget shortfall but stress that they won't cut aid to flood victims. Under the most-likely scenario, the General Assembly would recall any unspent Floyd relief money and then reallocate those funds as needed over the next two years. "It's just a matter of sound money management," said Rep. David Redwine, co-chairman"

37. January 28, 2001, The News & Observer  article entitled, "The wait after the storm" by Bob Williams   STAFF WRITER reported, "Local governments have purchased only about 17 percent of the damaged or destroyed homes that were earmarked for government buyouts after Hurricane Floyd. More than 4,100 homes in 30 counties have qualified for the buyouts, which are being handled by local governments using money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state of North Carolina. But only about 700 of those homes had actually gone to closing as of last week, according to recovery officials. " This article confirmed that Hurricane Fran involved more home buyouts than Hurricane Floyd. See paragraph 36 below.

« 36. (March 7, 2000 Raleigh News & Observer at page 3A entitled, "Buyout of homes likely to be largest in history" by Bob Williams) NC Emergency officials estimated that 57,000 homes were damaged by hurricane Floyd. Of those, 7,000 were destroyed and 17,000 were uninhabitable. Thus far, only 3,300 buyout applications were in the State's hands according to Eric Tolbert, NC Emergency Director. Compare this info with paragraphs 8 and  25 below. This information was released six months after the hurricane. 1997's hurricane Fran led to buyouts of more than 8,000 homes in NC.

« 35.  (November 28, 1999 from the Raleigh News & Observer on the editorial page entitled, "Point of View: Troubled waters: Floyd's flood hurt Pamlico Sound too" by Larry Crowder and Todd Miller)
-"Pamlico Sound now suffers from a spate of problems. Floating freshwater isolated salty bottom waters, reducing oxygen. Bacterial populations soared in response to organic wastes, further depleting oxygen. The 40-square-mile low-oxygen zone persisted for three weeks, suffocating juvenile fish, shrimp and crabs. Then Hurricane Irene mixed oxygen back into Pamlico Sound and the media spread the good news."
-"But then the sick fish began showing up. Menhaden, spot, croaker, pinfish and others were found with open bleeding sores and deadly bacterial infections. Their skin and scales sloughed off and their stomachs swelled. Chances are slim they'll survive and grow in Floyd's nursery."
-"Cooling temperatures have temporarily calmed these troubled waters, but huge quantities of nutrients and organic wastes remain in Pamlico Sound, setting the stage for potential disaster next spring and summer"

« 33.  (November 26, 1999 from Greenville Daily Reflector, page B1) The AP reported that well water testing by NC Division of Environmental Health officials after hurricane Floyd showed 28% of 6,400 wells tested were contaminated. These State officials claimed there was no increase in contaminated private water wells from previous years. The same officials stated that 6.5% of these tested wells had fecal coliform (sewage contamination) and that percentage was a "fraction higher" than "normal". NC has no ongoing state initiated system for well water testing - such tests are initiated by private citizens. The Division of Environmental Health recommended that persons with flooded wells retest their well water. Compare this information with paragraph 12 below.

« 32.  (November 23, 1999 from the Raleigh News and Observer)     
-"Exact aid figures remain sketchy because, technically, Congress appropriates money to federal agencies and they, in turn, send it to states. In many cases, it remains unclear what share of an agency's funds North Carolina will receive."
-"The state’s flood request to Congress has been trimmed several times. Hunt first sought close to $5 billion. Then he split his request into two parts — a $1.7 billion package in immediate needs and $2.1 billion in long-term relief."
-"Officials in Gov. Jim Hunt's administration said Tuesday that the state probably will get less than $900 million of a $1.9 billion federal aid package that Hunt wanted."

« 31. (November 23, 1999 - Greenville Daily Reflector, page A1) The AP reported that 50,000 people in North Carolina were still displaced by Hurricane Floyd as of this date:
-"State lawmakers had appeared ready to reconvene in special session as early as Dec. 1. They want to consider a flood relief package focusing on finding permanent shelter for the 50,000 or so residents still out of their houses, spurring economic development and aiding farmers who lost crops and equipment."

« 30. Worth re-reading is the FEMA information posted at 
http://www.fema.gov/hu99/d1292n60.htm on October 14, 1999 quoted from John Copenhaver, regional director for FEMA's Region IV office in Atlanta on that date in which Coperhaven said the following:
-"For some communities, the process will move relatively quickly," Copenhaver said. "For others, it will not be so fast. But we will move the process as quickly as we possibly can. And it will be fair."
-"State and federal officials stressed that applications for buyouts will be made by local communities - not by individual property owners. They urged any interested property owners to contact their city or county planning department, local emergency manager or local floodplain administrator. ... People whose properties are approved as part of buyout packages will be offered the fair market, pre-flood values of their properties, Smith said. A licensed appraiser will determine that value, officials said."

« 29A. (November 23, 1999 Greenville Daily Reflector - page B1 "Pitt leaders seek loan deadline extension" by Judy Royal)
-"Bethel Mayor Frank Hemingway said local leaders need more time to make flood victims aware of the applications' importance. "People are just completely still ignorant about what to do about these things," he said."
-Pitt County Manager Tom Robinson, in seeking time extensions to allow more victims to apply for flooding aid was quoted as saying, "I don't think it's clear that if you're going to apply for a grant, then you've got to apply for a loan first," he said. "What we're understanding from FEMA is the people submitting the applications is very low and we know that need is very high, so it's leading me to believe that people are confused as to what to do."

Commentary: Local news reports now state that FEMA will not consider buyouts until an applicant has first applied for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. This requirement has never been distributed as a notice before -- except when victims apply for a buyout. See http://www.hughcox.com/free_fema_flooded_home_buyout.htm  for the instructions from the City of Greenville. There is no mention of any application required except the buyout form.
The FEMA application forms are complex and require exact financial figures( even for those without records or bank accounts). These applications have no guidelines for approval until the applications deadline has passed. Submission deadlines usually within days or weeks of the applications being available. The forms were submitted to hard-to-find locations operated at odd hours resulting in long, standing lines of applicants without any accommodations for the elderly or the disabled. 

« 29. (Sunday, November 21, 1999, Greenville Daily Reflector Special Section "Ruin & Hope") Some basic facts:
-Inspection teams inspected about 6,000 properties. Properties were marked with an "X" (habitable); "X with a vertical line through the "X" (habitable after repairs); and "X" within a "box" (condemned)  (page 11 of Special Section).
-Statewide money already loaned by the Small Business Administration (SBA) already totals $275.5 million (page 16 of Special Section). Less than $100 million has been granted to individuals (page 16 of Special Section).
-9,718 people in Pitt County applied for FEMA aid. Statewide, 73,852 have applied. (page 16 of Special Section).
-3,536 people in Pitt received $6.6 million for housing assistance. (page 16 of Special Section)
-1,637 Pitt residents are approved for FEMA grants of $7.5 million (page 16 of Special Section). The grants are for up to $10,000.00 each according to previous reports. This math means that the average will be $4,704 per grant. Compare these totals to paragraphs 22A and 23 below.
-Amazingly, the Reflector reported that inspections for Pitt County were not yet completed. (page 16 of Special Section).
-The City of Greenville has performed safety inspections on 1,893 structures through October 1, 1999. (page 16 of Special Section). Of these, 642 were mobile homes. Of the total inspections in Greenville, 13% were condemned, 42% were uninhabitable and 45% were in need of repair (page 16 of Special Section).

« 28. (Sunday, November 21, 1999, page B1) The Raleigh News & Observer in a report ("Hog farmers Doubt Buyouts") by writers James Eli Shiffer and Anne Saker noted that $5.7 million would be used to pay an estimated 15 farmers to abandon swine operations for other crops if the swine operation was in the flood plain. That would be $340,000.00 per farm in corporate welfare. One farmer in Wallace, NC was quoted as losing 2,369 hogs in the flooding. The writers noted that there is no accurate method of determining which farms are in the flood plain because the floodplain maps are not accurate. Another hog operator near Kenansville was quoted as already having built new hog buildings and pens and expected to be back in operation within a month.

« 27. (November 10, 1999) Writer Travis Fain of the Greenville Daily Reflector (page A1) reported that Pat Young of the City's consulting firm confirmed that there will not be enough money for all buyouts applications submitted to FEMA. The aricle stated, " The city has set up a priority system to help decide which applications will be sent first. The state will consider 200 homes per city statewide until February 2000 and will then open the program to further applications. As of Monday, 315 Greenville residents had applied to the program. ... Primary residences that had 5 feet of water in them or sustained damage equal or greater than 50 percent of their value will be looked at first. The homes must also be within the 100-year floodplain." 

« 26.  (November 8, 1999) WUNC-TV's North Carolina Today program at 7:30 p.m. reported that members of the US Congressional Black Caucus who donated time and work at Princeville, North Carolina this past weekend had commended President Clinton for his efforts to have FEMA offer buyouts to 11,000 homeowners in North Carolina.

« 25.  The Raleigh News & Observer included a special section about reconstruction after hurricane Floyd in the November 7, 1999 Sunday edition (Section I). The significant numbers for North Carolina were as follows:
--51 people killed
--4.2 million aces flooded
--43,000 homes damaged with at least 15,000 destroyed or uninhabitable
--28,000 hogs killed
--2.8 million chickens and turkeys killed
--2,000 cattle and 250 horses killed
--47 swine waste lagoons inundated with 4 lagoons ruptured (Compare with paragraph 20 )
--21 waste water systems and 38 drinking water systems flooded and damaged
--69,717 people applied for emergency assistance

Commentary: If only 28,000 hogs were killed and the USDA paid $5.1 million to hog corporations to bury these hogs, these buried hogs were worth far more than market value ($5.1 million divided by 28,000 equals $182 per hog. See paragraph 6 below. North Carolina Environmental officials recently allowed hog corporations to spread their lagoon contents on farm fields in violation of previous environmental practices as a financial concession. The same officials allowed hog corporations to restock hog populations at pre-flood numbers. There is an appearance that hog corporations will actually come out the flooding disaster with greatly increased profits at taxpayer expense.

«  24.  The Greenville Daily Reflector in two articles by Dawn Bryant (November 7, 1999 at page A1) reported the following:
--"Between 200 and 250 Greenville residents have completed the six-page FEMA buyout applicant surveys. The deadline to apply is Nov. 30." (This form is available at: http://www.hughcox.com/free_fema_flooded_home_buyout.htm .)
--"Tenants, including mobile home owners using rented land, are not eligible for any FEMA buyout monies." (See paragraph 23 below showing that 75% of all damaged dwellings were mobile homes.)
--"Concerned about balancing available funds between smaller and larger cities, the state has suggested limiting all cities to 200 applications between now and Feb. 29, City Manager Ron Kimble said. Additional requests could be made after then." (End of Ms. Bryant's quotes)
--There is an appearance that FEMA and the local governments use flood damage definitions  so that any buyouts can be justified or not justified depending on political considerations.

« 23.  (Oct 26, 1999)  In a Greenville Daily Reflector article, "Poverty in the floodplain" Travis Fain reported that 1,754 Greenville homes were damaged in the flood. Of those, 643 were mobile homes, 206 duplexes and 501 apartments or other type of multi-family units. In the [Pitt] county, another 1,405 homes were flooded — 75 percent of them mobile homes, according to county spokesman Arlen Holt. The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers rental assistance, a temporary home in a travel trailer and a grant of up to $13,600 to replace property lost during the flood. An additional $10,000 repair grant is available to home owners. Compare these figures with paragraphs 22 , 16 , 11 , and 8 below.

« 22A.  The Greenville Daily Reflector in the November 4, 1999 edition at page B1 (by Judy Royal) reported that Pitt County would receive a second payment from the NC Hurricane relief Fund of $804,178.00. Previously, the County received $727,965.00 from the same source that was distributed to approximately 3,500 victims evenly for a total of $206 each. Some residents were upset because the governing body distributing the funds did not include minority nor elected officials. Such persons were then added to the governing body. No plans were identified  to allow new applicants to join the 3,500 who initially applied so those same people appear to be eligible for $230 each. This new fund will be distributed evenly per person as before.

« 22.  FEMA's web site at  http://www.fema.gov/hu99/flyd1007.htm dated October 7, 1999 reported, "Damage assessment reports so far reveal 17,975 homes were impacted, including 4,046 destroyed, 4,838 with major damage and 9,091 with minor damage." This report applies to North Carolina only.

« 21. Governor Hunt is now encouraging eastern NC citizens to appeal FEMA's denials of hurricane Floyd disaster aid according to an article by John Wagner of the N&O ("Hunt Hears Victim's Concerns" on page 1B - October 24, 1999). At Seven Springs, citizens meeting with Hunt made a "chorus of complaints" about FEMA. Hunt proposed that the State deploy its own "housing counselors" so that FEMA denials and low offers could be "re-examined". The estimated State cost was $500,000 for 18 counselors for 6 months.  Hunt's lieutenants  promised that the counselors would visit homes of everyone who requested such help. Jewel Kilpatrick, mayor of Seven Springs,  was offered $4,125 by FEMA for her flooded and damaged home. Janie Archer, a FEMA official with the governor at Seven Springs, responded with sympathy and remarked that residents had "unrealistic expectations" of the help available. 

« 20A. The AP reported ("Aid package Boosts Income for Farmers" by Philip Brasher on October 24, 1999 at page 3A of the N&O) that $6.0 billion was appropriated for farms growing grain, corn, soybeans and cotton due to "depressed" prices. This money does not include farm aid for those crops and livestock lost in hurricane Floyd's floods.  The bill was enacted by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton on October 22, 1999. Texas A&M University agricultural officials estimated that the money would boost income 25 to 30% in a year when most farms will have bumper crops and record profits. The larger the farm, the larger the aid check. North Carolina will only receive $69 million while Iowa will receive $610 million, Illinois gets $536 million and Texas receives $481 million. In a separate bill for flood losses along the east coast caused by hurricane Floyd, Congress will appropriate $1.4 billion.

« 20.  The Associated Press (September 21, 1999 in the Raleigh News and Observer) in an article by Martha Waggoner titled, "State shouldn't let many hog farms spray waste, groups say" reported that Dan Whittle (Environmental Defense Fund) estimated at least 1,000 hog lagoons are full. Governor hunt is requesting $50 million in federal funds to move 333 privately owned hog lagoons out of the flood plains and equip them with new disposal methods.

« 19. See http://www.grandforksgov.com/rehab.htm for amounts paid to citizens in the Grand Forks ND flood along the Red River in 1997. Some examples of help NOT available in NC include:
--"The voucher amount is $15,000 for participants building a new house or purchasing land for building a new home within the City limits and $10,000 for those purchasing a pre-existing home. Townhouses do qualify, manufactured homes and duplexes do not. Only Grand Forks residents involved in the Buyout process are eligible" (Financed by local government and banks)
-- "The program provides housing rehabilitation grants up to $3,000 to assist in paying for repairs made due to flood damage. The grants are available to homeowners residing in Grand Forks County who are at or below the following income guidelines: 1-2 person: $20,400; 3 or more person family: $23,460".  (financed by local banks)
-- "Participants will be eligible for up to $2000 in materials vouchers." (through the United Way Unmet Needs program)

« 18.  A featured editorial in the Greenville Daily Reflector of October 20, 1999 noted "troubling discrepancies" in the way goods were distributed to flood victims at a Red Cross center in Greenville. The Editor wrote, "Volunteers working in that center reported preferential treatment was given to employees of at least two local industries, to workers for Greenville Utilities and to students at East Carolina University and Pitt Community College. While members of the general public were given pre-prepared boxes of goods during posted hours, others were allowed to browse the center with a shopping cart and pick out goods during special hours."

«17. There has been no further mention of the number of hogs killed by flooding in NC in weeks either in the press or on the FEMA web site. There are no reports of how much of the USDA $5.0 million was spent burying dead hogs. See paragraph 6 below. --On September 22, 1999,  FEMA reported, "More than 110,000 hogs and a million chickens and turkeys were killed by the storm." See confirmation at http://www.fema.gov/hu99/99287.htm . 
--On September 23, 1999, 1999, FEMA reported, "Reports confirm 6,000 hogs killed by the disaster, and more than 945,000 poultry. See confirmation at http://www.fema.gov/hu99/99288.htm . 
--On September 24, 1999, FEMA reported, " The state estimates agricultural losses at more than $1 billion. The toll includes the death of 45,000 swine and 2.5 million chickens and turkeys." See confirmation at http://www.fema.gov/hu99/99295.htm .
--On September 28, 1999 in a report about farm losses (for agricultural interests),  FEMA reported, "An estimated 500,000 hogs and 10 million chickens and turkeys died in the flood waters left by Hurricane Floyd. The decomposing carcasses contaminate water and attract flies and other insects that can spread disease to humans." See confirmation at  http://www.fema.gov/nwz99/farmrs.htm . 
--On September 29, 1999, FEMA reported, "Animal losses are set at 30,500 hogs, 760 cattle and 2.5 million fowl." See confirmation at http://www.fema.gov/hu99/d1292n20.htm .

Commentary: Such irresponsible "counting" gives an appearance that  FEMA wishes to deceive the public about the actual number of dead hogs and the deadly disease possibilities to flooded homes and property in our State while "telegraphing" to the hog corporations that such corporations can apply for  public funds and corporate welfare to replace the huge number of hogs actually lost in the flood.

«16.  From the FEMA web site (October 19, 1999): " New preliminary damage assessment figures indicate 17,975 homes [in North Carolina] were impacted with 4,046 destroyed, 4,838 sustaining major damage and 9,091 with minor damage. Early estimates indicate damage to homes is more than $3.95 million." Compare these figures with paragraph 11 below.

«15. NC Congressman Walter Jones showed candidness and integrity in his faxed newsletter dated 10/19/99 by admitting that the 1.2 billion dollars of emergency farm aid enacted by Congress and needed for hurricane Floyd damage was "not enough".  He further cited that only $64.5 million would come to Eastern North Carolina farmers.

«14. From the FEMA web site - October 18, 1999 -- State and federal officials stressed that applications for buyouts will be made by local communities - not by individual property owners. They urged any interested property owners to contact their city or county planning department, local emergency manager or local floodplain administrator. Two Hurricane Floyd buyout projects have already been approved - in Kinston and in Goldsboro. The city of Kinston has no web site so the forms to apply are unavailable online. Lenoir County has no website with flood assistance information. Goldsboro NC has a website at : http://prowebs.net/WebSites/government_web_sites.htm  . Wayne County is the only governmental unit with a web site with official telephone numbers at: http://www.esn.net/waynecounty/departme.htm . "Robin" who works for the Wayne County Planning Department actually has the forms to apply for such buyouts. Telephone her at 919-731-1650. Wayne County is to be commended for meeting citizen's needs with the necessary forms. Thanks to "Robin", a copy of the buyout form is available at: FREE FEMA FLOODED HOME BUYOUT APPLICATION

«13. The Greenville Daily Reflector in an article dated October 19, 1999 by Chad Eric Watt on page B1 ("Flood Victims Could Receive Relief Money by Weekend") reported that only 3,561 people out of 8,700 who were eligible for emergency flooding funds actually applied for their equal portion of the $727,965  presented to Pitt County by Governor Jim Hunt.  Each applicant will receive $204 per person. See paragraph  9. below. There is an appearance that flood victims were officially discouraged from applying due to the short period between announcement of the help and the deadline.

«12. The Greenville Daily Reflector (October 18, 1999) published an excellent report by Peter Kilborn of the New York Times about the misuse of farm land in our State and how our unregulated hog production  has come back to "haunt" us with contaminated ground water and wells. The article pointed out that human waste must be captured in public sewers and private septic systems to prevent the spread of disease. Our State regulators let the waste of hogs, which carries many human diseases, be captured by nothing more than a cesspool lagoon that can legally be located in the flood plain. Seepage into ground water wells is under way according to Ronnie Kennedy, county director for environmental health in Duplin County. He said that of 310 private wells he had tested for contamination since the storm, 9 percent, or three times the average for eastern North Carolina, had fecal coliform bacteria. Normally, tests showing any hint of feces in drinking water, an indication that it can be carrying disease-causing pathogens, are cause for immediate action.  In the hurricane, hog feces and urine soaked the land and drained into rivers from the overburdened hog lagoons. Hurricane Floyd killed more than 2 million turkeys, chickens and livestock in the region, and such waste is expected to keep leaching into our water supply for months to come.

«11. In another example of the "undercounting" of  devastation, an article in the Greenville Daily Reflector (October 18, 1999 entitled, "State suffers third hurricane in two months" By Emery Dalesio)  estimated the number of "destroyed" homes in our State at only 6,000.  In another article in the same issue, reporter Scott Mooneyham in an article entitled, "Flood plain may need a second look", noted, "after Hurricane Fran, the Federal Emergency Management Agency bought 8,000 flooded homes. FEMA expects to buy thousands more this time, spending up to $600 million." Compare these figures with the AP article on October 13, 1999 below in paragraph  8  below.

«10. The Associated Press (from the Raleigh New & Observer of Monday, 0ctober 18, 1999 at page 6A) reported that Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide lump-sum benefits to flooding victims from Hurricane Floyd who are eligible for rental assistance. The lump-sums will be $10,000.00 per person. The announcement was made by federal FEMA director James Witt and praised by NC Governor Jim Hunt. Since no total amount was announced nor was the fact that the money must come from the federal FY2000 (not yet enacted by Congress), people in eastern NC must presume that this is another political media event from President Clinton to put pressure on the Republican Congress. The chances of such significant money actually being paid to flood victims quickly are "unlikely".

«9. According to the Greenville Daily Reflector published on October 17, 1999, Pitt County will divide $727,965 as its share of the first round of Governor Hunt's emergency fund. The fund will be divided equally between all flood victims who have applied for assistance. The intent of the money was to help people who had immediate, unmet needs. Officials were to distribute the funds on Friday, October 22, 1999. The last day to apply for these funds was Saturday, October 16, 1999 -- only three locations were provided for application. The first anyone knew of these funds was a few days before distribution. This "help" is typical of eastern North Carolina politics where funds become available, politicians make much of the "relief", no one knows how to apply until the last minute, the elderly or disabled cannot stand in long lines, and only those few with political "connections" end up with the money.

«8. The Associated Press reported that two buyout projects in Kinston and Goldsboro already have been approved. The plan unveiled Wednesday (October 13, 1999) in the wake of record flooding in eastern North Carolina is expected to surpass the 8,000 buyouts that followed Hurricane Fran in 1996. A State official said Thursday that 15,280 homes reportedly are uninhabitable because of the flooding, and 6,344 of them have been described as destroyed by their owners. These uninhabitable homes totals need to be compared to the October 2, 1999 reports from the News & Observer below that showed over 84,00 flooded homes. There is an appearance that officials are engaging in an "undercount" of the devastation to save money for insurance companies and for public tax expenditures needed to assist those who need help.

«7. The Raleigh News & Observer (nando.com) edition for October 3, 1999 contained a superb article by James Rosen (page 1A) with insight into why most of the hurricane Floyd flood victims will be not be adequately helped with FY2000 federal funds due to the competition between President Clinton and the Republican controlled Congress over the budget. Page 19A of the same edition contains another superb article by Matthew Eisley on state budget problems.

«6. The Associated Press on or about September 30, 1999 reported that the US Department of Agriculture will pay $5 million to bury dead hogs at a rate of 2.4 to 3 cents per pound. The N&O reported there were "more than" 30,500 dead hogs. The math is fairly simple. 30,500 hogs at 100 pounds each should cost less than one hundred thousand dollars to bury ($3 per hog). Yet, the USDA will be paying 5 million dollars to bury at least 1.6  million hogs. If these are "overcooked"  figures, "hog" corporations may raid the available USDA and FEMA funds for unjust corporate welfare at taxpayer expense while the public may believe there were very few dead hogs.

«5. Five million dollars is already earmarked by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to go to chicken, turkey and hog corporations (who call themselves "farmers") as confirmed on the FEMA web site - although the N&O puts the unofficial number of dead hogs at "more than" 30,500. FEMA places the figure at 500,000 dead hogs on their web site. Hog corporations are engaging in "dead hogs" misinformation by undercounting, yet they will collect corporate welfare for hundreds of thousands or millions of dead hogs from USDA and FEMA. The public may never know. On the other hand, only a few uninsured homeowners will receive approximately $13,000 plus temporary housing.

«4. The October 2 edition of the N&O (page 19A) listed the number of flooded residences in only eight NC cities and towns at a total of 83,054. FEMA plans to buy less than 10,000 residences located in flood plains (Oct. 3 N&O page 18A). The others may get less than $13,500 per home or nothing.

The commentary below was posted in late September 1999

«3. Commentary: Our problem is not a simple flooding problem as reported in the media, but an environmental disaster where flood victims will be forced to move back into poisoned and diseased dwellings containing petroleum, dead livestock residue (FEMA estimated 500,000 dead hogs and over a million chickens and turkeys), human remains residue, pesticides, herbicides and dangerous germs.

«2. Commentary: The upcoming federal elections and the public demand for tax cuts will force both political parties to engage in frequent episodes of media theater of "helping victims" while really giving insignificant amounts of money.

«1. Commentary: Governor Hunt means well, but his use of the word "flooding" will be accepted by Congress and the media as a simple, temporary damage to our State like Fargo, North Dakota some years ago. He will fail in efforts to gain significant financial support unless he uses words like "poisoned and diseased homes and land". That choice of language will raise other problems among the powerful (and toxic) agricultural interests in our State. FEMA , in the FEMA web site, estimates there is deadly residue in our flooded areas of 500,000 dead hogs and more than one million dead chickens and turkeys plus pesticides, petroleum, and herbicides. Most revealing is Hunt's effort to gain 50 million dollars of corporate welfare to relocate hog lagoons out the flood plains. In the past few years Hunt and the General assembly stood by and allowed the hog corporations (who call themselves, "farmers") to build where and when they wished virtually without regulation. Surely, some Congress members will be candid enough to tell Governor Hunt that he and our easily influenced General Assembly brought some of this disaster on us all by lack of common sense regulation. For these reasons, our citizens should not count on significant federal help in spite of Hunt's efforts.

visitors since October 21, 1999