Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Washington Governor Proclaims a State of Emergency for Winter Storms

Gov. Chris Gregoire today proclaimed a state of emergency in 17 counties due to damage from a series of severe winter storms between Jan. 9 and 26, 2011. An emergency proclamation allows the use of state resources to meet the emergency needs of local jurisdictions.

View the news release announcing the proclamation
View the proclamation

Clark County was among the 17 counties mentioned in the proclamation. However, this was done to support the governor's request for federal disaster assistance for state agencies, such as the Washington State Department of Transportation, that have infrastructure in Clark County. WSDOT is requesting assistance through the Federal Highway Emergency Relief Fund. Local agencies and private businesses and homes in Clark County did not sustain enough damage to be eligible for any disaster assistance.

Today, the governor also requested that President Obama declare a disaster area in the seven hardest his county (Clallam, Cowlitz, Kitsap, Mason, Skagit, Skamania and Snohomish). If the president includes these counties in disaster area declaration, public agencies in these counties would be eligible for federal dissaster assistance.

View the presidential disaster request

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