Today, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill announced that President Barack Obama has approved the majority of Governor Jay Nixon’s request for federal disaster relief following winter storms that hit the state in early February 2011. Earlier this month, McCaskill and Senator Roy Blunt sent a letter of support urging the president to grant Nixon’s request to declare 64 counties in Missouri a federal disaster area. Today the president announced a major disaster declaration for the State of Missouri and released federal funds to help cover emergency work and the repair and replacement of disaster-damaged facilities for 59 counties in Missouri. Additionally, the entire state of Missouri is eligible for hazard mitigation assistance grant funds.
In their letter, the senators stressed that federal assistance is essential to help Missouri communities recover from the severe winter storms. Although Nixon’s entire request was not granted, today’s announcement will mean significant federal help for Missouri communities struggling to recover from the damage caused by the most recent round of winter storms. Specifically, the Governor had requested public assistance (including snow removal) for 62 affected counties, public assistance (not including snow removal) for two counties, and hazard mitigation grant assistance for the entire state.
Counties included in today’s announcement are Adair, Andrew, Audrain, Barton, Bates, Benton, Boone, Caldwell, Callaway, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Chariton, Clark, Clinton, Cole, Cooper, Dade, Dallas, DeKalb, Grundy, Henry, Hickory, Howard, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lewis, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Osage, Pettis, Platte, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Ray, St. Clair, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan, Vernon and Worth. Nodaway and Gentry counties were not included in the declaration.
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