WASHINGTON   –  U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) and U.S. Senator Kit Bond today announced that key federal programs will be available to Missouri governments and organizations that were adversely affected by the winter storms of February 10-14.  Entities in all Missouri counties are eligible to apply for assistance from the two programs being made available under the disaster declaration.

"These winter storms were a tremendous hardship for many of our Southeast Missouri communities.  This designation will help many of the local governments and non-profits who came to the aid of many in our area. The assistance and grant programs will share the burden of the response to these storms with the federal government, and hopefully bolster our preparedness for future storms.  I especially want to thank the many residents who contributed to the relief effort, especially those who helped their neighbors without power and worked to keep medical services available during a challenging week in February," said U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson.

“Today’s announcement is great news for the Southeast Missouri communities hit hard by winter storms,” said U.S. Senator Kit Bond. “Federal assistance is critical to help these communities recover from the February ice storm and be better prepared for natural disasters in the future.”

“This is tremendous news for Jackson and all the other Missouri communities impacted by the February ice storm,” stated Barbara Lohr, Mayor of Jackson. “The burden our community faced without the federal and state resources the declaration can provide would have been a significant challenge. We were pleased to be informed about the declaration through Senator Bond and Representative Emerson and are truly grateful for this assistance and the resources it will provide in our recovery effort.”

The federal assistance includes public assistance to state and local governments and private non-profit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.  In addition, the federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is available to assist the same entities for actions to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards.

Detailed information on the Public Assistance program from the Federal Emergency Management Agency follows:
 
Public Assistance Grant Program
The objective of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program is to provide assistance to State, Tribal and local governments, and certain types of Private Nonprofit organizations so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the President.
Through the PA Program, FEMA provides supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations. The PA Program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.
The Federal share of assistance is not less than 75% of the eligible cost for emergency measures and permanent restoration. The grantee (usually the State) determines how the non-Federal share (up to 25%) is split with the subgrantees (eligible applicants).
Policy and Guidance - 9500 Series Policies and other Publications
Debris Management - Resources for Debris Removal and Demolition Operations
Application Process - Step by step description of the PA grant life cycle
Roles and Responsibilities - Information on the duties of Federal, State, and local partners
Resources and Tools - Appeal Database, Equipment Rates, Cost Estimating Format, and other resources
Reference Topics - Specific information and instructions on PA topics
Facts and Statistics - Performance goals, funding trends, and news