President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday declared that a major disaster exists in the state of Alabama and ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the northern parts of the Yellowhammer State affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding from February 19 to March 20 of this year.
Federal funding is now available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the weather events in the counties of Cherokee, Colbert, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lamar, Madison, Marion, Morgan and Winston.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
This is separate from the devastating severe weather that hit Lee County in early March. Trump approved a disaster declaration for that event almost immediately, as requested by Governor Kay Ivey, Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) and other members of the state’s congressional delegation.
Update 5:45 p.m.:
Ivey released a statement on Trump’s declaration.
The governor said, “The state of Alabama is far too familiar with the often unpredictable, damaging effects of severe weather. In recent months, our state has endured a variety of storm systems, including immense and historic flooding in North Alabama. Alabama is very grateful and pleased to welcome this news. President Trump always stands ready to help Alabama, and I’m grateful for his hand in this recovery process. We can now fully be on the road to recovery because of the assistance of President Trump.”
Today @POTUS approved the major disaster declaration for storms that occurred in the northwest region of Alabama from 2/19-3/20, ordering federal assistance for state & local recovery efforts. Grateful for the President’s help in repairing the damage.
— Richard Shelby (@SenShelby) April 17, 2019
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
