Kansas Gov. Kelly: President Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Kansas

TOPEKA, Kansas, June 21 -- Gov. Laura Kelly, D-Kansas, issued the following news:

President Donald Trump approved a request from Governor Laura Kelly today for a major presidential declaration which will help supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslides.

"It was important for the president to approve our Major Disaster Declaration," Kelly said. "The Major Disaster Declaration will assist jurisdictions with rebuilding damaged infrastructure and put our state back on the path to recovery."

The President's action makes federal funding available to state, eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and repair or replacement of facilities.

Counties included are Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Cowley, Doniphan, Elk, Ellsworth, Franklin, Geary, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Hodgeman, Jefferson, Kingman, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Rush, Russell, Saline, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wilson, and Woodson counties.

Counties listed in the Governor Kelly's request to President Trump were: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Elk, Ellsworth, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Gray, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Hodgeman, Jefferson, Kingman, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Norton, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Rush, Russell, Saline, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wilson, and Woodson; however damage verification and validation has not occurred in all of the counties requested by the Governor, so additional counties will be approved based on damages being validated by FEMA.

Federal funding for the hazard mitigation grant program is also available on a cost-sharing basis for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk from natural hazards statewide.

The request was made under the provisions of Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. Sec.Sec. 5121-5208 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR Sec. 206.35.