November 22, 2019

Manchin, Capito Announce More Than $52 Million For Rebuilding Of Herbert Hoover High School Which Was Damaged By The 2016 Flood

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $52,304,385.75 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to rebuild Herbert Hoover High School. Herbert Hoover High School was critically damaged by the 2016 floods that tore through West Virginia.

“I am thankful FEMA is finally giving West Virginia the funds we need to rebuild Herbert Hoover High School. After the terrible flooding that ravaged West Virginia and killed 23 people, we came together as a state and helped each other rebuild. It was incredible to see the strength of West Virginians and the compassion they held for each other. I have continually worked with both FEMA and the Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure school rebuilds across West Virginia remain a priority. This has included working collaboratively with FEMA Region III Administrator MaryAnn Tierney, Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, and local officials including Kanawha County Superintendent Dr. Ron Duerring. This funding will help the Elkview community feel whole again and will get our kids back into their school so that they have the best possible learning environment. I look forward to seeing the new Herbert Hoover High School and will continue to help the other schools in West Virginia receive their funding to rebuild and recover from the 2016 flood,” said Senator Manchin.

“Since the flood in 2016, I’ve been working closely with FEMA Region III and local government and school officials to make sure we rebuild Herbert Hoover as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Senator Capito said. “As chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds FEMA, I’ve worked to prioritize this project and facilitate better relations between federal and local stakeholders. With clean up and multiple environmental assessments to clear, the process has been painstaking, but today’s news is the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m so glad we’ve made it to this point, and I can’t wait for construction of the new Herbert Hoover to get underway!”