Flooding

May 12, 2009 -- LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe has declared Arkansas, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clark, Cleveland, Conway, Dallas, Drew, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Lafayette, Lee, Lincoln, Little River, Lonoke, Jefferson, Miller, Monroe, Perry, Phillips, Pope, Poinsett, Prairie, Saline, Searcy, Stone, St. Francis and Union Counties state disaster areas due to the damage caused by heavy rains and flooding that began on April 27.

The declaration also authorizes $200,000 in individual assistance from the Governor's Disaster Fund for flood victims in Clark, Dallas, Jefferson, Garland, Lonoke, Miller, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett, and Saline Counties.    » read more »

Tours Flood-Stricken Community of Eagle

May 12, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin yesterday toured the flood-stricken community of Eagle, located about 200 miles east of Fairbanks. Dozens of homes have been destroyed in Eagle after ice jams caused the Yukon River to flood. The governor and John Madden, director of the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, overflew Fort Yukon and the village of Circle on approach to Eagle.

Governor Palin met with numerous officials during the trip, including Assistant Mayor Bo Fay, Emergency Coordinator Krystie Depue and First Chief Joyce Roberts. All-terrain vehicles were used to travel from Eagle to Eagle Village downriver.    » read more »

May 9, 2009 -- CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Due to excessive rain and flooding, West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin this morning declared a state of emergency in the following southern West Virginia counties:

Boone
Logan
McDowell
Mingo
Raleigh
Wyoming
and surrounding counties.

“State and local emergency management officials are on-site, assessing damages and offering assistance where needed,” Manchin said. “We continue to monitor the rivers and streams so that we can offer additional assistance should the situation worsen.”    » read more »

Will Create Jobs for Construction, Repairs, Inspections

May 6, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that several Connecticut lakes, rivers and other flood control areas will benefit from $5.6 million in federal stimulus funds as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ comprehensive civil works initiative that will create an immediate need for construction and maintenance jobs while preserving valuable natural and recreational resources.

“The Army Corps’ investment in Connecticut will pay tremendous environmental and economic dividends,” Governor Rell said. “These are all important flood control projects that will benefit our state for generations to come by protecting and preserving irreplaceable natural resources.”    » read more »

Yukon, Kuskokwim, Kobuk and Susitna Rivers all show potential to damage communities

May 6, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin declared a disaster for the flooding event in the Interior of Alaska, including the drainages of the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Kobuk, and Susitna Rivers. The disaster declaration will allow greater coordination between state agencies and easier access to state disaster relief funds, and will pave the way for receipt of federal funds from a possible federal disaster declaration.    » read more »

April 24, 2009 -- BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota Governor John Hoeven today said the White House has approved his request for an expansion of the Presidential Disaster Declaration that was issued on March 24. The expanded declaration would include a range of new assistance programs designed to help the state recover from major, severe flooding this spring.

"As the impacts of recent flooding have expanded, so have the needs of our communities, large and small," Hoeven said. "The kinds of aid available in this expanded declaration can help us to address the costs of recovery in addition to the costs we've incurred in the flood fight."    » read more »

April 24, 2009 -- ATLANTA – Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that President Barack Obama approved a Federal Disaster Declaration for 27 counties that the Governor requested aid for following a devastating period of severe weather beginning March 26 and continuing through April 10. Tornadoes, straight-line winds, hail, severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and flooding resulted in widespread residential, commercial and infrastructure damage across South Georgia.

"We have some hard work ahead of us and we appreciate the prompt response by President Obama and Acting FEMA Administrator Nancy Ward," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "It will greatly help the citizens whose lives have been disrupted."    » read more »

April 22, 2009 -- MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Twelve Minnesota counties and a tribal reservation were designated eligible for federal Public Assistance (PA) on Wednesday. That brings the total number of counties to 27 according to officials from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Newly designated include Becker, Beltrami, Chippewa, Clearwater, Douglas, Hubbard, Lac Qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Pope, Swift, Stevens, and Yellow Medicine counties and the White Earth Tribal Reservation.    » read more »

April 21, 2009 -- Moorhead – Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty along with Senator Keith Langseth and Representative Morrie Lanning today announced a proposed flood relief and recovery package to help residents and communities in the Red River Valley recover from spring flooding that included a record high crest in the Moorhead area.

“There were some anxious times and incredible efforts by many people when the water was rising and now we need to pitch in to help our neighbors recover,” Governor Pawlenty said. “This package will supplement the federal, state, and local work already underway.”    » read more »

Calls on Legislature to pass IJOBS Plan to further recovery efforts

April 21, 2009 -- IOWA CITY – Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed legislation today to help Iowa homeowners affected by last year’s flood. Senate File 289 reduces the amount of time, from 10 years to 5 years, state-funded Jumpstart Iowa recipients must stay in their homes before their entire Jumpstart loan is forgiven.    » read more »

Project includes $5 million in stimulus money, creates 150 jobs

April 17, 2009 -- Kentucky at WorkLOUISVILLE, Ky. – The West Louisville Pumping Station, a 50-year-old system which protects 135,000 homes from flooding, will be rebuilt, thanks in part to federal economic stimulus dollars.

Gov. Steve Beshear has dedicated $5 million in state stimulus money for the project, which will be matched by $12 million from the Metropolitan Sewer District, the agency that will oversee the work.

The project will completely renovate the pumping station, at 1300 Southwestern Parkway in the Chickasaw neighborhood, by replacing seven large pumps, motors, drives and electrical switch gears. Expected to take 18 months, the project will create 150 jobs.    » read more »

April 14, 2009 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced today that the Presidential major disaster declaration for Minnesota now includes federal relief and recovery assistance for Roseau, Otter Tail, Pennington, Red Lake, Grant, Lake, Wadena and Mahnomen counties. The eight counties were added by FEMA today after damage assessments were completed last week.

“Flooding may have damaged infrastructure, but not the Minnesota spirit,” Governor Pawlenty said. “This federal assistance will help communities in these counties recover from damage caused by flooding this spring.”    » read more »

April 10, 2009 -- BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota Governor John Hoeven today said the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide $750,000 in Section 32 funds to assist North Dakota ranchers impacted by severe winter weather and flooding this season. The money is part of a permanent appropriation used for domestic food programs and disaster relief for farmers.

Hoeven asked N.D. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring to create an expedited plan to distribute the funding to ranchers in dire need of feed, and provide the assistance as quickly as possible.

The news came following a conference call organized earlier today at Hoeven's request with Sec. Vilsack and North Dakota farm and ranch leaders to ask the secretary once more for federal aid for producers.    » read more »

April 9, 2009 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced this afternoon that President Obama has approved a major disaster declaration for Minnesota. The presidential declaration clears the way for federal relief and recovery assistance in Traverse, Wilkin, Clay, Norman, Polk, Marshall and Kittson counties along the Red River in northwestern Minnesota.

Governor Pawlenty requested an expedited major disaster declaration in a letter to the President on March 25.    » read more »

April 10, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley on Friday asked President Obama to declare a major disaster area for 20 counties in Alabama that received damage from wind, rain and flooding recently.

Between March 30 and April 3, the 20 counties suffered an estimated $26 million in damage to roads, bridges and public buildings, the Governor said. In addition, 572 homes were affected by the severe storms in Covington, Geneva and Houston counties.

In addition to those three counties, Governor Riley’s disaster request covers Baldwin, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Coffee, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Elmore, Henry, Lamar, Marengo, Perry, Russell, Washington and Wilcox counties.    » read more »