State requests six counties to be added to federal declaration for Public Assistance

For Immediate Release: December 17, 2007

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced the state of Washington is requesting that six more counties � Clallam, Jefferson, King, Skagit, Snohomish and Wahkiakum �be added for Public Assistance to the federal disaster declaration for Washington state�s Dec. 2-3 storm and flooding disaster.

�This move signals that we�re ready to get to work repairing our roads, bridges and other critical public assets,� said Gov. Gregoire. �We are happy that federal assistance is starting to reach people in the hard-hit areas � specifically, residents and small business owners � but we�ve got to start fixing facilities that were damaged or destroyed by this harrowing disaster.�

If approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), there would be a total of 12 counties in the declaration whose local, tribal and state agencies and eligible non-profit organizations would be eligible for assistance in repairing public infrastructure.

Six counties � Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston � were already declared eligible for public assistance on Dec. 8 although that initial declaration was limited to reimbursement for debris removal and emergency protection measures. Other categories of public assistance are for roads and bridges; water control facilities; buildings and equipment; utilities; and parks, recreational and other facilities.

Today�s request for Clallam, Jefferson, King, Skagit, Snohomish and Wahkiakum counties is for all categories of public assistance; and to include all categories for Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties.

�During our surveys, we found a significant amount of storm and flood damage to public facilities,� said Kurt Hardin of the Emergency Management Division (EMD) and state coordinating officer for the recovery. �We believe the Federal Emergency Management Agency can act quickly on our request.�

Residents are encouraged to report damage to their local county emergency management office.


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