Governor Quinn Requests Federal Assistance for Local Governments in 13 Flood-Ravaged Counties

SPRINGFIELD – August 31, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today asked President Barack Obama to declare 13 Illinois counties federal disaster areas to help local governments in those counties recover from severe storms and flooding in late July. This request comes after the President’s approval of the state’s earlier request for assistance for individual households and businesses for seven counties impacted by the flooding.

In addition, the Governor today declared Adams, Pike and Schuyler counties state disaster areas for severe storms and flooding that hit western Illinois in late July, and also included those counties in his request for federal public assistance today. The other counties included in Governor Quinn’s request today, and previously declared as state disaster areas, are Carroll, Cook, DuPage, Jo Daviess, Lee, Mercer, Ogle, Rock Island, Stephenson and Winnebago.

“These powerful storms caused severe flooding that washed out several critical roads and bridges,” said Governor Quinn. “The cost of recovering from these storms is a burden these local governments cannot shoulder alone. Federal assistance is critical for these communities to recover, and I urge President Obama to quickly approve this urgent request.”

Earlier this month, damage assessment teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) met with local government officials in the flood impacted counties to document extraordinary expenses related to the storms and flooding. The assessments determined that costs to local governments for debris removal, emergency protective measures and repairs or replacement of roads, bridges and other public facilities in the affected counties totaled nearly $23 million.

“The impacted communities are doing everything they can to recover from these storms and flooding, but they can’t do it alone,” said IEMA Interim Director Joe Klinger. “Federal assistance is most definitely needed to help local governments restore their infrastructure and protect public health and safety.”

On Aug. 19, President Obama approved Governor Quinn’s request for federal assistance for individuals and businesses in seven northern Illinois counties affected by the storms and flooding. If today’s request for federal assistance is approved, local government bodies in these counties could receive reimbursement for 75 percent of their extraordinary storm-related expenses.

Additional information about the state’s storm response efforts is available at www.Ready.Illinois.gov.