Friday, August 4, 2006
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Requests Expanded Emergency Declaration for St. Louis Area
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) expand public assistance available for the City of St. Louis and add Oregon and Franklin Counties to the disaster declaration.
“I commend members of the Missouri Congressional Delegation, especially Sen. Jim Talent for working with FEMA to secure the Federal disaster declaration for the St. Louis area,” Blunt said. “As the citizens of St. Louis work to rebuild following the storms, I ask FEMA to expand Public Assistance categories to aid in the areas recovery efforts.”
Damage assessments show the per capita damage for the City of St. Louis was $7.38, more than twice FEMA’s indicator of $2.94. The governor’s request also asks that FEMA add Oregon County to the disaster declaration for all categories of Public Assistance and that Franklin County be added to the declaration for emergency protective measures and debris removal.
A federal disaster declaration was issued for the City of St. Louis and the counties of St. Louis, Dent, Iron, Jefferson, St. Charles and Washington on July 21, 2006. Under the current declaration, FEMA is authorized to provide debris removal and emergency protective measures under categories A and B. If granted, today’s request would expand the declaration to all public assistance categories, A through G, available from FEMA for the City of St. Louis and Oregon County.
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