President Donald Trump has approved a disaster declaration for the state of Nebraska and has ordered Federal aid to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by a severe winter storm, straight-line winds and flooding, which began March 9.
The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Butler, Cass, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Nemaha, Sarpy, Saunders and Washington 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 is also available to local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in Adams, Antelope, Blaine, Boone, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Cedar, Cherry, Colfax, Cuming, Custer, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Frontier, Furnas, Gage, Garfield, Gosper, Greeley, Hall, Harlan, Holt, Howard, Jefferson, Johnson, Keya Paha, Knox, Lancaster, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, Madison, Merrick, Morrill, Nance, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Otoe, Pawnee, Pierce, Platte, Richardson, Rock, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Scotts Bluff, Seward, Sherman, Stanton, Thayer, Thurston, Valley, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler, and York and the Santee Sioux Nation, Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, Sac and Fox and Winnebago Tribe.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and additional areas may be designated for assistance after the assessments are fully completed.
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in these counties can begin applying for assistance on Thursday by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.