US: FEMA, to pay for Irene damage, delays funds for rebuilding in tornado-ravaged areas

FEMA said Sunday it will still pay people eligible for individual storm assistance and some states recouping emergency response costs from previous disasters, but it will restrict payments for older, longer-term public rebuilding and mitigation projects to ensure the solvency of the federal disaster relief fund. The decision "prioritizes the immediate, urgent needs of survivors and states when preparing for or responding to a disaster," said FEMA spokeswoman Rachel Racusen.