Governor Beebe Asks President Obama To Declare A Major Disaster In Arkansas

Tuesday, Feb 3, 2009
Governor Beebe Asks President Obama To Declare A Major Disaster In Arkansas
Declaration would bring federal assistance for estimated $77 million in ice-storm damageLITTLE ROCK - Governor Mike Beebe this afternoon asked President Obama to declare a major disaster in 25 Arkansas counties hit hard by last week's ice storm. The counties include Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clay, Conway, Craighead, Cross, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Mississippi, Newton, Searcy, Sharp, Stone, Van Buren and Washington. The declaration would bring federal assistance to cover 75 percent of the estimated $77 million in damages to public infrastructure in the affected counties, including utility systems, roads and bridges, water-control facilities and debris removal. "President Obama responded quickly to our request last week for the initial emergency declaration, and FEMA officials have been working closely with ADEM since then," Beebe said. "We are far from finished with the damage-assessment process, but we are moving forward immediately to secure federal disaster assistance." Beebe expects to make State disaster declarations for more than 30 counties on Wednesday.