Floods

Additional areas can be added as damage assessments continue

May 15, 2009 -- CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin and state emergency management officials late this afternoon received word that President Obama has approved the governor’s request for a federal disaster declaration for southern West Virginia, following severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides that occurred last weekend.

This designation enables federal funding and personnel to be allocated to the flood-ravaged areas to assist with cleanup efforts and to provide additional assistance to those who were directly affected by the flooding and storms.    » read more »

May 14, 2009 -- HARRISBURG – The first grants to protect Pennsylvania’s flood prone communities and address unsafe, high-hazard dams under the historic H2O PA water-related infrastructure renewal program were approved today, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell announced.

Seventeen dam projects and five flood control projects received a total of $57.4 million, Governor Rendell said.

“Pennsylvania’s water-related infrastructure—its drinking water and wastewater plants, dams and flood protection projects—are aging and deteriorating after decades of neglect and underinvestment,” Governor Rendell said. “This is creating a difficult challenge for communities that are facing costly, but much needed, upgrades to their water and wastewater systems.    » read more »

May 15, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Florida Governor John E. Baldacci today announced a Federal grant totaling more than $2.1 million to assist communities impacted by spring flooding that began April 28, 2008. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery aid will provide valuable resources to about 96 municipalities across the seven counties affected by the flooding that began on April 28, 2008.    » read more »

Foreclosure protection offered to displaced families in 10 counties

May 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to 10 storm-ravaged counties in Mississippi and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes in March.    » read more »

Governor Culver signs I-JOBS bills into law with $100 million for UI disaster efforts

May 14, 2009 -- IOWA CITY – Nearly one year after record floods destroyed many landmark buildings on campus, Iowa Governor Chet Culver today traveled to the University of Iowa, where he signed Senate File 474, which provides $100 million for the University’s disaster recovery efforts as part of the Governor’s $830 million I-JOBS Program.    » read more »

May 13, 2009 -- FRANKFORT, Ky.—Following the devastating storms and extensive flooding that have ravaged parts of the state and forced hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians from their homes, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear asked President Barack Obama this afternoon to declare a major disaster for impacted areas of the state.    » read more »

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 »