Drought

Also Orders Burning Ban Reinstated Due To Drought And Approach Of Spring Fire Season

2/13/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley has signed an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency that enables North Carolina to seek federal assistance to help pay costs incurred while fighting major fires. He also reinstated the statewide burning ban, effective noon Thursday (Feb. 14) in advance of the spring fire season.    » read more »

Preparations Underway For Local Access To Alternative Water Sources As Drought Continues

2/8/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley announced today that the state has identified alternative water supplies for the 11 North Carolina communities facing the most severe water shortages due to the drought. Most of the projects would involve connecting systems that are at the greatest risk to another water system with water to share. Other systems could drill new wells or tap into nearby lakes, rivers or quarries.    » read more »

Feb. 8, 2008 -- Kansas officials today requested a quick resolution to the ongoing battle with Nebraska over its undisputed overuse of waters from the Republican River.

At the same time, Attorney General Steve Six communicated with Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning that Kansas is seeking “real solutions” and that “we expect concrete tangible actions by Nebraska to cure its overuse of Republican River water.”    » read more »

State will Provide Exemptions to Level Four Drought Response; Exemptions Balanced with Renewed Conservation Efforts

February 6, 2008 -- ATLANTA—Today at the Georgia Agribusiness Council’s legislative breakfast Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced the state will ease outdoor watering limitations through exemptions to the Level Four Drought Response implemented in September 2007. Taking this action strikes a balance between sound management of our water resources and support of Georgia’s industries that depend on water use.    » read more »

Feb. 02, 2008 -- AUSTIN – In a letter sent to President George W. Bush, Texas Governor Rick Perry today requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas as a result of widespread wildfires and continuing fire danger across the state. The governor identified 184 Texas counties presently threatened or impacted by wildfires. To date, 75 wildfires have burned approximately 70,000 acres and destroyed 60 homes and structures.    » read more »

Jan. 30, 2008 -- AUSTIN – Texas Governor Rick Perry today issued a state disaster proclamation for 152 counties in response to the threat posed by wildfires rapidly spreading in areas across the state. Burn bans are already in place in these Texas counties. This disaster proclamation allows affected counties to be eligible for state assistance.    » read more »

January 29, 2008 -- Oklahoma City -- Citing high winds, dry conditions and a series of recent wildfires, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry today declared a statewide burn ban for Oklahoma.

The governor’s office announced the decision Tuesday afternoon after reviewing weather data and discussing fire conditions with forestry officials in the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.

“We need to do everything we can to protect lives and property,” said Gov. Henry. “With the dry weather and high winds, conditions are very hazardous and even the smallest fire can quickly get out of control.    » read more »

January 15, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today joined Florida’s State Emergency Response Team members and water management and state fire officials to conduct the 2008 Drought and Wildfire Summit at the State Emergency Operations Center. The first-ever summit brought together local, state and federal officials to gain a better understanding of the current conditions and threats facing Florida and the Southeast.    » read more »

Calls for Regional Interconnections, Water Audits and Conservation-Based Rates

1/14/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today told water system managers from the state’s 30 most vulnerable communities they need to take certain actions now to make sure they will have adequate water supplies for their citizens during the long, hot summer if North Carolina’s historic drought continues.    » read more »

Latest Rains Do Little To Ease North Carolina’s Statewide Drought

1/3/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today urged all North Carolinians to continue their water conservation efforts because the latest rains have had little impact on the statewide drought. Every one of the state’s 100 counties continue to be listed on the latest federal drought map in one of the three most severe levels of drought.    » read more »

Citizens Who Use More Water Should Pay A Premium Fee; Conserving Is Patriotic

12/20/2007 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today announced a four-point program, including the adoption of water conservation pricing, to address the state’s deepening drought. The governor said it was everyone’s patriotic duty to conserve and called on local water systems to enforce a fee system to penalize those who are excessive water users with significantly greater water bills.    » read more »

December 19, 2007 -- (Lincoln, NE) Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman and Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning today responded to a letter sent to Ann Bleed, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources Director and Nebraska Republican River Compact Commissioner, by David Barfield, Kansas Republican River Compact Commissioner. The letter makes several demands of Nebraska regarding Nebraskan’s water usage on the Republican River.    » read more »

Dec. 19, 2007 -- Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison and the Kansas Division of Water Resources today demanded that Nebraska officials significantly reduce their state’s water usage and pay monetary damages for violations of the Republican River compact.

Letters were sent Wednesday to Ann Bleed, director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources and Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning.    » read more »

December 18, 2007 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida, Georgia and Alabama Governors Charlie Crist, Sonny Perdue, Bob Riley and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today agreed upon a revised schedule to address the short- and long-term needs of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) river basins. The agreement came during a day-long meeting of the states at the Florida Governor’s Mansion.    » read more »

More Counties Now in Exceptional Drought Than Anytime This Year

12/14/2007 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today announced that the Drought Management Advisory Council will hold a special meeting next week to review the latest status of the drought in North Carolina and discuss emergency response plans for communities in need. The latest federal drought map released Thursday shows more counties in exceptional drought than at any other time this year.    » read more »