DES MOINES – Today Gov. Kim Reynolds sent a letter to President Biden to request federal assistance for Scott County following the May 28 collapse of the Hotel Davenport Apartments in Davenport.
The request for an emergency declaration includes assistance for debris removal, demolition, reimbursement for response activities, and technical assistance.
This major structural building collapse is of such severity and magnitude that supplementary federal assistance is needed to support community recovery efforts.
The letter reads:
“HSEMD has communicated the need for support with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). However, FEMA and the USACE have conveyed that, absent the issuance of a Presidential Declaration, they are unable to render assistance to support the State of Iowa’s ongoing response and recovery efforts, and NIST does not believe this collapse will meet their requirements for engagement.”
The governor’s letter to President Biden can be read in its entirety here.
Joe Biden and Democrats have sent Iowa and Kim Reynolds millions of dollars to help rebuild Iowa via the American Rescue Plan Act. Reynolds and Iowa’s GOP Congress delegation fought hard against the funding, until it was time to spend it and take credit for the projects.
