Friday, January 04, 2008
Iowa Receives Presidential Disaster Declaration
DES MOINES – Governor Chet Culver today received confirmation that Iowa has received a Presidential Disaster Declaration authorized by President Bush for Public Assistance, which means state and local government and eligible non-profit agencies affected by December’s ice storms and severe weather will be eligible to receive federal disaster aid.
The Governor received notification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that a request for Public Assistance programs was approved in the following 30 counties: Adair, Adams, Appanoose, Cedar, Clarke, Clinton, Davis, Decatur, Fremont, Iowa, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Linn, Lucas, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Page, Ringgold, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Washington, and Wayne Counties. Public Assistance program funds are available to public entities and select non-profit agencies to rebuild damaged infrastructure that may include roads, bridges, culverts, and other public facilities or to cover costs of emergency work during the ice storms of December, 2007.
The Governor also received word that Iowa received a hazard mitigation declaration for the entire state. With this funding, Iowa will be able to minimize the impact of future natural disasters by taking steps now to strengthen our existing infrastructure.
“Many Iowans’ lives were disrupted by the winter storms that affected our state late last year, which I witnessed first hand during a tour of southern Iowa,” said Governor Culver. “I want to thank President Bush for his response to our request of federal aid, and I look forward to continuing our work with local emergency management officials as we fully recover from this severe weather.”
For more information on federal disaster assistance, visit www.fema.gov/assistance/process/index.shtm or www.iowahomelandsecurity.org.