Nebraska Receives Federal Disaster Declaration
Following December Storms

(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman was notified today that President George W. Bush and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have approved the state’s request for a federal disaster declaration covering several southeast Nebraska counties.

The Governor requested the declaration on Dec. 31, 2007, for damage done to public infrastructure by storms occurring Dec. 10 to 12. The declaration includes the following eight counties: Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, and Thayer County.

The declaration makes federal emergency funding available to state and local governments for emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged public infrastructure.

Estimates compiled by FEMA and officials with the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency put the damage caused by the December snow and ice storms at $3 million.