Statement by the Press Secretary on Federal Disaster Assistance for Nebraska

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Nebraska and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on May 22, 2008, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Buffalo, Butler, Colfax, Dawson, Douglas, Gage, Hamilton, Jefferson, Kearney, Platte, Richardson, Sarpy, and Saunders Counties.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is 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 severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in the counties of Adams, Blaine, Boone, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Chase, Colfax, Cuming, Custer, Dawson, Douglas, Fillmore, Frontier, Furnas, Gage, Garfield, Gosper, Hall, Hamilton, Hayes, Holt, Howard, Jefferson, Keya Paha, Lancaster, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, Merrick, McPherson, Nance, Otoe, Phelps, Platte, Polk, Red Willow, Richardson, Rock, Saline, Saunders, Sarpy, Seward, Sherman, Stanton, Thayer, Thomas, Thurston, Webster, and York.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Willie G. Nunn as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600.