FEMA denies West, Texas, bid for more disaster aid: governor's office AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The federal government's disaster agency denied a request for disaster aid to replace infrastructure destroyed in West, Texas by a fertilizer plant explosion in April that killed 14 people, Texas Governor Rick Perry's office said on Wednesday. President Barack Obama declared the area a disaster after the April 17 explosion, releasing funds for individuals and for cleanup of the site. The application denied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was for additional funds to rebuild infrastructure. In a letter to Perry from FEMA, the agency said that the state of Texas and local governments could provide the needed money. Perry said in statement he was "very disappointed." Reporting By Karen Brooks; Writing by Greg McCune and Bob Burgdorfer