Thursday, March 01, 2007
Governor Culver Requests Presidential Disaster Declaration
(Des Moines) - Today Governor Chet Culver sent a letter to President George W. Bush requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the following 46 counties: Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Calhoun, Cedar, Chickasaw, Clinton, Des Moines, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Iowa Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Marion, Marshall, Mitchell, Muscatine, Pocahontas, Poweshiek, Story, Tama, Van Buren, Wapello, Washington, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Worth and Wright Counties.
The Governor is requesting Public Assistance Program and Debris Removal for the 46 counties and Hazard Mitigation programs statewide. Public Assistance is a program designed to help public organization rebuild infrastructure damaged by a storm. The Hazard Mitigation program is designed to fund programs designed to prevent damages from future storms. Buyouts of frequently flooded properties, storm damage shelters and flood walls.
The Governor's request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration is the result of the severe winter storm system that started in Iowa on Saturday, February 24, 2007, and continued with blizzard conditions today. Damage assessment for potential eligible expenses totaled $34,763,663. Estimated damage attributed to Rural Electrical Cooperatives totaled $31,854,715.
"It is important to remember these damage estimates only cover eligible expenses under the federal programs," Governor Culver stressed. "The actual damages that can be attributed to this storm are substantially higher. I look forward to working with the federal government to get this important funding."
The request has been sent to the FEMA Region VII Director in Kansas City, MO. Region VII officials will first review the request, include their recommendations. They will then forward it to Washington D.C. for a series of reviews by a number of federal agencies before it is presented to President Bush for his review and final decision. Presidential requests can take from days to weeks before granted or denied.
Additional counties can be added as the request is being reviewed.