HARRISBURG, Ill. — Saying rural America may be unfairly considered after disasters, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has introduced legislation that changes the way federal disaster aid is awarded.

The move comes two months after Harrisburg and parts of five counties in southern Illinois were hit by tornadoes that left seven people dead. Nearly 450 homes and 100 businesses were damaged or destroyed, with damage estimates at about $9 million.

But FEMA, in two separate decisions, declined to award federal aid in part because the damage total was not excessive in light of other forms of aid, and because of Illinois’ total population. FEMA never has released the formula it uses to compute aid totals, but a spokesman said six main factors are considered, including a state’s population.

Durbin, the state’s senior senator, has the support of the other, Republican Mark Kirk, for the Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act.

“What we went through in Harrisburg and Ridgway and southern Illinois was totally unfair,” Durbin said when announcing the legislation. “That same damage, if it would’ve occurred in Kentucky, Missouri or Indiana, would have qualified under the federal laws of disaster. The reason it didn’t qualify in Illinois? Because of the large population of our state.”

At about the same time FEMA denied aid to the southern Illinois area, it also denied aid to portions of Ohio and Missouri hit by tornadoes in early March. But FEMA did approve aid for parts of southern Indiana and northern Kentucky hit by storms in a wider area three days after the Illinois storms hit.

Among the worst damage to any business in the Illinois storms was to the Farmer Supply Co-op, where two grain bins, a warehouse and two other buildings were destroyed. Manager Danny Evans said damage was about $1 million. Plans to rebuild the operation already are under way and should be complete by summer’s end, he said.

Within days after the FEMA denial, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn announced that state leaders were able to secure up to $13 million in low-interest loans for home and business owners, and grants to cover cleanup costs. Harrisburg Mayor Eric Gregg said he is grateful for the assistance, which came partly from the U.S. Small Business Administration. He also said he fully supports the new legislation.

“We don’t need to let rural America fall by the wayside just because of some silly formula that makes no sense and needs to be changed,” Gregg said. “ As a result of this horrible tragedy here … maybe something good can come of it as far as protecting other communities like Harrisburg, Illinois.”