Durbin, Obama Urge President Bush to Declare Seventeen Illinois Counties Federal Disaster Areas

DURBIN, OBAMA URGE PRESIDENT BUSH TO DECLARE SEVENTEEN ILLINOIS COUNTIES FEDERAL DISASTER AREAS

Federal Disaster Funds Requested in Wake of Severe Winter Storms

Friday, January 7, 2005

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL) today asked President Bush to declare 17 Illinois counties federal disaster areas after a severe winter storm caused many Illinois communities to deplete their snow removal resources in December, with months of winter still ahead. The Senators asked that the impacted counties - Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jackson, Lawrence, Massac, Pope, Richland, Saline, Union, Wabash, White, and Williamson - be made eligible for federal disaster assistance.

The severe winter storm moved across southern Illinois in late December and hit the area with two days of record or near-record snowfalls. High winds and freezing temperatures complicated snow removal efforts, and state and local budgets for snow removal were severely strained in the process.

Durbin and Obama made their request in a letter to the President today. In the letter, the Senators supported Illinois Governor Rod Balgojevich's request for federal disaster assistance. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency is now coordinating the state's efforts.

"It is important that federal assistance be made available as soon as possible to help address the financial strain of this storm on the state and local communities," Durbin and Obama wrote. "Mr. President, we respectfully request that you make the necessary declaration for the State of Illinois and the affected counties to receive federal disaster assistance."

If the state's request for federal assistance is approved, communities could apply for reimbursement of up to 75 percent of their snow removal and emergency assistance expenses from the most critical 48 hours of the snow storm.

http://durbin.senate.gov/releases.cfm