DES MOINES – Gov. Terry E. Branstad on Monday signed a letter to be delivered to President Obama requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration for eight Iowa counties where significant damage was sustained from severe storms and flooding from Aug. 23-27, 2016.
The counties included in this request are: Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Howard, Mitchell, and Winneshiek.
The governor requested funding under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program, which is used to rebuild damaged infrastructure that may include roads, bridges, culverts and other public facilities, or to cover costs of emergency work during, and debris removal after, the storms. A joint federal, state, and local preliminary damage assessment of the eight counties found the severe weather caused an estimated $4.8 million worth of damage that could be eligible under the Public Assistance Program.
The governor also requested funding to conduct hazard mitigation activities for the entire state.
Then, today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) sent a letter to President Obama in support of Governor Terry Branstad’s request for a federal major disaster declaration for eight northeast Iowa counties following the severe storms, heavy rain, and flooding.
As Senator Ernst wrote, “On September 9, 2016, at the request of the Governor, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conducted joint Public Assistance preliminary damage assessments for those eight counties. The results of this assessment have led the Governor to determine that the damage warrants federal disaster assistance. I appreciate your immediate consideration of this request.”
Those counties, again, include: Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Howard, Mitchell, and Winneshiek.
The full letter is below:
September 20, 2016
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
I write to you in support of Governor Terry Branstad’s request for a major disaster declaration. As you may know, between August 23 and August 27, 2016, several counties in northeast Iowa were impacted by severe storms, heavy rain and flooding. These storms left behind significant damage to private property and essential public infrastructure throughout eight counties across the state: Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Howard, Mitchell, and Winneshiek.
On September 9, 2016, at the request of the Governor, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conducted joint Public Assistance preliminary damage assessments for those eight counties. The results of this assessment have led the Governor to determine that the damage warrants federal disaster assistance.
I appreciate your immediate consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
Joni K. Ernst
United States Senator
