Letter to President Donald Trump - Louisiana delegation requests disaster declaration for tornado damage

Letter

Dear President Trump,

We are writing in support of Governor Edwards' request for a Major Disaster Declaration for the
State of Louisiana as a result of severe storms and tornadoes on April 12, 2020.

As you know, on Easter Sunday a line of severe storms and tornadoes laid a path of destruction
across north Louisiana, with the heaviest impacts coming from three tornadoes that struck
Ouachita Parish. Due to restrictions in place as a result of the COVID-19 emergency, Ouachita
Parish officials have been working alone on the ground to assess and report damages. They
report that 116 single-family homes and twelve businesses have been destroyed or suffered
significant damage. In addition, Monroe Regional Airport suffered damages that required a
temporary closure and suspension of flights, and the Bayou Black Pumping Station, which
prevents flooding in West Monroe, suffered severe damage to three of its pumps. The majority of
survivors whose homes were destroyed or damaged lived in Section 8 housing and lack access to
alternate housing arrangements. As a result, 273 of the survivors required sheltering across nine
separate hotels to comply with social distancing guidelines. Local officials are working with the
State to find long term housing for these survivors. However, without federal assistance many of
them could be left homeless.

The assistance provided to date by your administration to fight COVID-19 has been critical in
slowing its spread in Louisiana. However, our state resources are stretched thin from this fight,
as well as from three major natural disasters in 2019 and a tornado that struck Rapides Parish on
April 22, killing one Louisianan. The response to the tornadoes in Ouachita Parish, in
conjunction with these events, has overwhelmed state and local resources. We ask that you grant
Governor Edwards' request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Individual and SBA Assistance
in Ouachita Parish, as well as for Hazard Mitigation statewide. Thank you for your continued
support of Louisiana and for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,