Murkowski Applauds Major Disaster Declaration for Alaska

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Obama administration has declared a major disaster declaration for the State of Alaska, a move that triggers the release of federal funds to help individuals and communities recover from extensive and widespread flooding that began on April 28, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announced tonight.

 

“The disaster declaration is welcome news for families living in communities such as Eagle, Stevens Village and Tanana which were hard hit by this spring's flooding,” Murkowski said. “At the same time I am concerned that the geographic scope of the President's disaster declaration appears to be narrower than what Governor Palin requested. I will work with FEMA and the State to insure that the federal disaster assistance made available by the declaration is delivered effectively and quickly.”

 

Murkowski wrote to Obama on May 29 endorsing Gov. Palin’s major disaster declaration request, and urged the President to make Individual Assistance programs available to the people affected by this disaster. Obama made the Individual Assistance available to help affected families, which include significant numbers of Alaska’s Native peoples, recover from the disaster.

 

Following are details of the disaster declaration and assistance programs according to information provided by FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security

 

Individual Assistance:  (Assistance to individuals and households):

Designated Areas: The Alaska Gateway Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA), the Kuspuk REAA, the Yukon Flats REAA, and the Yukon-Koyukuk REAA.

 

Public Assistance:  (Assistance to State and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities).

 

Designated Areas and Boroughs:  The Alaska Gateway Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA), the Kuspuk REAA, the Lower Kuskowin REAA, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, the Yukon Flats REAA, and the Yupiit REAA.

        

Type of Assistance:  Hazard Mitigation Grant Program: (Assistance to State and local governments and certain private non-profit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long- term risk to life and property from natural hazards). 

 

Designated Areas:

 

All boroughs and Regional Education Attendance Areas in the State of Alaska are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

 

Additional designations may be made at a later date after further evaluation, according to FEMA.

 

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate named Douglas Mayne as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas, the White House said.

 

FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov<http://www.disasterassistance.gov> or by calling 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

 

Maps of Alaska's REAAs can be found at: http://www.eed.state.ak.us/Facilities/pdf/doe2008map.pdf