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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 16, 2009 No. 09-058 GOVERNOR REQUESTS FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPRING STORM DAMAGES; MORE STORM DAMAGE THIS WEEK Gov. Mark Parkinson has submitted a request for federal disaster assistance for damages to public infrastructure caused by severe storms, large hail, high winds, tornadoes, torrential rains and other severe weather during the period beginning April 25 through May 16, 2009. Parkinson submitted the request to President Barack Obama through FEMA Region VII. “As storms continue to move through our state, the damages have taken a toll on local infrastructure,” said Parkinson. “With a federal declaration, counties will be able to get the financial help they need to repair structures and rebuild, if necessary.” The following counties are named in the request for assistance: Anderson, Barber, Bourbon, Butler, Chase, Cherokee, Coffey, Cowley, Crawford, Elk, Finney, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Labette, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Montgomery, Morris, Neosho, Reno, Rice, Sumner, Waubaunsee and Wilson. These counties were among those named in a State of Disaster Emergency declaration made by Parkinson on May 5 and amended on May 15. The federal assistance request is for the Public Assistance Program, Categories A through G, in the counties named above and for the Hazard Mitigation Program statewide. Preliminary damage assessments for Public Assistance for all counties named in the original state declaration exceeded $13 million. The largest portion of that, more than $7 million, was for Category C, damage to road and bridge systems. Second Request for Federal Declaration this Year in Kansas In May, Parkinson requested a federal declaration for severe winter storms that struck the state during the period March 26 to 29, 2009. That storm affected 62 Kansas counties. The decision is still pending. More Storm Damage This Week in Kansas Strong storms moved through the state this week leaving damage from straight line winds in Anderson, Franklin, Pottawatomie, Linn, Miami, Reno, Riley, and Stafford counties overnight Monday night. On Sunday night, damages from straight line winds destroyed five homes in Harper County and also caused damage to power poles in Grant County. “Assessments are underway to determine if the damages from this week’s storms will qualify Kansas to request additional federal assistance,” said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, director of Kansas Division of Emergency Management and Kansas adjutant general. Power outages have been reported in a number of the impacted counties. As of early afternoon today, June 16, Westar is reporting approximately 5,300 customers without power in Kansas with more than 2,700 of those in Reno County and more than 1,100 of those in Riley County. In northeast Kansas, Kansas City Power and Light is reporting approximately 4,400 customers without power in Miami County, approximately 2,300 in Linn County, 1,700 in Franklin and 1,200 in Anderson County. A small portion of Douglas County and Johnson County are also without power. For the latest Westar outage information, go to: https://www-11.westarenergy.com/outagemaps/outagetable.asp . For the latest Kansas City Power and Light outage information, go to http://www.kcpl.com .-30- Follow the Kansas Adjutant General’s Department on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KSAdjutantGen |
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