Gov. Gregoire announces federal assistance for winter storm damage

For Immediate Release: March 5, 2012

OLYMPIA�Gov. Chris Gregoire today thanked President Obama for his timely approval of a disaster declaration for public infrastructure damages and emergency response costs in 11 Washington counties suffered during January�s severe winter storm.

�I am very pleased that the President and the Federal Emergency Management Agency recognized the urgency of our request, and is providing much needed financial assistance,� Gregoire said. �We made it clear how our counties were negatively impacted by the January storm. The damage left behind placed a heavy financial burden on many of our cities and counties during an already difficult economic time.�

Surveys by state and federal in mid-February found more than $32.3 million in eligible public agency damages and costs. The surveys also determined there was insufficient eligible damage to support a federal disaster declaration for homes and businesses in the state.

This federal disaster declaration will help repair public facility damage and defray emergency response costs in 11 counties�Clallam, Grays Harbor, King, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston and Wahkiakum.

�The declaration will allow FEMA to pay up to 75 percent of the eligible disaster-related costs, such as repair or replacement of property, debris removal and emergency protective measures,� Gregoire said. �This funding will be very important to local governments because it will speed recovery from January�s severe winter weather and ease the budget burdens created by emergency response work and storm clean-up.�