WASHINGTON D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced that the Calhoun Rural Electric Cooperative has been awarded $3,410,137 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Program (HMP.) The funds will be used to replace and strengthen 64.4 miles of electrical distribution lines to better withstand the effects of ice and snow for nearly 2,000 residents of Calhoun, Greene, Pocahontas, Sac and Webster counties.
Harkin was the chief sponsor of legislation that greatly expanded FEMA’s HMP following the floods of 1993. The program provides grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. The purpose of the HMP is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.
“Weather can have a real impact on the infrastructure and power sources in our state, especially during tough Iowa winters,” said Harkin. “Structural improvements for reliable, affordable electricity contribute to the economic development of these communities and the quality of life for the thousands of rural residents that they serve.”
