Additional Aid Approved for Nebraska Disaster Recovery 

WASHINGTON -- The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that federal funds for restoring storm-damaged public utilities have been made available to local governments in 14 Nebraska counties under President Clinton's major disaster declaration of November 1. 

FEMA Director James Lee Witt said the President approved the additional assistance requested by the state following a review of damage assessment data gathered and analyzed by federal and state recovery officials. Aid previously authorized for the state and local governments was limited to federal reimbursement for part of the cost for debris removal and emergency services related to the last month's early winter storm. 

The 14 counties designated eligible for the added aid under the President's amended declaration include Cass, Clay, Douglas, Fillmore, Kimball, Lancaster, Nuckolls, Otoe, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Seward, Thayer and Washington

Witt said that local governments in these jurisdictions are eligible to apply for federal funds to pay 75 percent of the approved costs for repairing or replacing damaged public utilities, such as electrical, gas, water and sewage systems. 

Updated: November 20, 1997


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