Durbin: Disaster Declaration for Two Additional Illinois Counties Will Help Severe Storm Recovery
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today praised the decision by President Obama to declare two additional Illinois counties – Hamilton and Union – federal disaster areas. The President’s disaster declaration triggers the release of federal funds to help people and municipalities recover from severe storms in May. A declaration has already been made for Franklin, Gallatin, Jackson, Randolph, Saline, and Williamson counties.
“The severe storms in May uprooted large trees, caused large power outages throughout the region, and cut off communication links such as telephone and cellular towers,” said Durbin. “This Presidential disaster declaration will go a long way toward rebuilding and restoring services in the affected communities.”
All eight counties are designated for Public Assistance funding which provides assistance to local and state governments for extraordinary costs for response and recovery to the disaster. This can include emergency work, debris removal from public roads and repair and replacement of disaster-damaged public facilities or infrastructure. Additionally, all Illinois counties have been designated for Hazard Mitigation Assistance areas which include funding for measures designed to reduce future losses to public and private property.