The White House approves the request for a federal disaster declaration related to the severe windstorms that struck Nebraska on July 9th and 10th causing a record number of power outages and other damage.
The Governor’s letter requesting the federal disaster declaration outlined the damages to the state’s electrical grid from the hail and wind. “At one point, approximately 200,000 customers or 37% of the state was without power after the storms moved through,” the Governor wrote. “This event caused Omaha Public Power District’s largest power outage in history.”
The declaration authorizes public assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Douglas, Sarpy, Washington, Cass, Saunders, Box Butte, Clay, Fillmore, Grant, Hall, Hamilton, Madison, Sheridan, and York counties.
Communities are eligible to apply for assistance for “emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.”
Private property damages from the windstorm did not meet the threshold to trigger a request for individual assistance from FEMA.
The federal disaster declaration also makes funds available through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. These federal funds, available anywhere in Nebraska, can help to share the costs of public projects undertaken to decrease the risk of future damages from natural disasters.
(Pictures from Omaha Public Power District)