Governor Perdue Requests Presidential Major Disaster Declaration

Governor Sonny Perdue today requested a Presidential disaster declaration which would lead to federal aid for severe weather and flood damages in 33 Georgia counties.

“The recent floods in south Georgia have adversely impacted the lives of many Georgians,” said Governor Perdue. “The requested disaster funding will help residents, businesses and local governments recover from this disaster and rebuild their lives.”

Governor Perdue also issued an Executive Order today declaring a state of emergency in 17 additional counties affected by heavy rain and severe weather that have passed through Georgia since March 27. The counties are: Appling, Bacon, Brantley, Clinch, Dodge, Dougherty, Echols, Grady, Irwin, Lanier, Montgomery, Pierce, Toombs, Upson, Ware, Wheeler and Wilcox.

Previously, 16 counties were included in the State of Emergency orders, including Atkinson, Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Coffee, Colquitt, Decatur, Early, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Tift, Turner and Worth. When joint state-federal damage assessments began on April 7, officials determined that more counties needed to be added emergency declaration. The additional counties reported disruptions to a large number of roads, bridges, drainage systems, waste treatment facilities and other crucial infrastructure.

Some examples of the impact of the severe weather and flooding on these counties include: 36 local road closures; 16 federal and state route closures; five damaged wastewater treatment facilities; five damaged neighborhood or community sanitary sewer lift stations; three damaged public drinking water systems; six damaged bridges; and 20 reported school system closures.

Governor Perdue's request follows joint surveys conducted over the past several days by local, state and federal damage assessment teams, which is a requirement of the disaster declaration process. Initial damage assessments conducted over a widespread area revealed that more than 600 homes were damaged.

Governor Perdue requested Public Assistance (PA) programs for 30 of the counties: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Calhoun, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Dodge, Early, Echols, Grady, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Montgomery, Pierce, Tift, Toombs, Turner, Upson, Ware, Wheeler, Wilcox and Worth. PA programs provide funding for debris removal, emergency protective measures, roads and bridges, water control facilities, buildings and equipment, utilities, and parks and recreational facilities.

In addition, the Governor requested Individual Assistance (IA) programs for 18 of the counties: Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Pierce, Tift, Ware, Wheeler and Worth. IA programs include funding for the Individuals and Households Program, Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Crisis Counseling, Disaster Legal Services, and Small Business Administration disaster loans.

“Damage assessments completed to date confirm that damage from the flooding left hundreds of Georgians in need of assistance,” said Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) Director Charley English. “Our agency will continue working with local emergency officials to provide needed state resources and pursue available federal assistance.”

Joint state and federal damage assessment teams will continue to work to determine the full scope of the damage to businesses, residences and public facilities in all counties reporting damage to ensure that all who qualify for assistance will be included.

GEMA is the lead state agency for coordination of emergency and disaster response activities. For more emergency information, visit GEMA's Web site at www.gema.ga.gov. To learn how to prepare for disaster, visit www.ready.ga.gov . For more information on federal assistance programs please go to www.fema.gov.

(Governor's Office News Release)

Farm aid for 22 counties

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Edward T. Schafer has declared 22 eligible Georgia counties disaster areas as a result of the damage sustained from Tropical Storm Fay. The designation was sent in response to Governor Perdue’s request submitted in September.

“Agriculture is Georgia’s largest industry and the backbone of our economy,” said Governor Perdue. “I’m pleased the federal government agrees we should do everything in our power to assist farmers in counties that have been hit hard by Tropical Storm Fay.”

Based on USDA Damage Assessment Reports, farmers in 22 counties experienced enough damage to peanuts, cotton and corn crops to qualify for the disaster declaration. Eligible farmers in designated counties that meet the criteria may apply for a USDA low interest loan at their county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. The 22 counties are listed below:

Baker, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Colquitt, Decatur, Early, Echols, Grady, Lanier, Lee, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Pierce, Randolph, Seminole, Thomas, Ware and White.

25 additional counties were named as contiguous disaster counties. They are listed below:

Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Calhoun, Camden, Clay, Coffee, Cook, Crisp, Dougherty, Glenn, Habersham, Hall, Irwin, Lumpkin, Quitman, Stewart, Sumter, Terrell, Tift, Towns, Union, Wayne, Webster, and Worth.

For more information, please visit www.fsa.usda.gov.

(Press Release from office of Governor Sonny Perdue)

Macon mayor declares 'state of emergency'

Macon Mayor Robert Reichert, declared a state of emergency in the city on Sunday at 09:40, as a result of severe storms overnight.

Reichert said that he faxed Governor Sonny Perdue, and requested that the state declare the affected areas a disaster area. He asked that rescue equipment and additional police forces be sent to the city.

Lisa Janak with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, said Perdue was appraised of the situation.

"The federal government will be moving hard to help," President Bush said. "I'll be in touch with the governors and offer all of the federal assistance we can."

Speaking with WMAZ tv, Reichert asked residents to stay home and off the streets. He also asked residents to avoid the southern and western parts of the city, where the majority of the damage occurred. He said that traffic lights in those areas were down, which had caused significant traffic snarls.

Reichert said one of the city's main water pumping stations was not working, due to a power outage. He asked residents to conserve water, not to shower, and close all faucets until emergency crews restored power.

He also asked that residents limit cellphone use, in order to allow emergency services access to frequencies, adding that the system in the area had collapsed from the overload.

Two people were killed from the storms in nearby areas.

Janek said one person died in Laurens. Authorities report another dead in Kite, from the storms. Authorities have not yet identified the fatalities.

Janek said 19 counties were affected.

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Perdue requests federal help for storm damage

Governor Sonny Perdue has requested the federal government for a major disaster declaration to help the city of Atlanta and Fulton County in its cleanup and repair efforts from last weekend's storms. An approval would provide federal funds for emergency response measures and aid for losses.

Perdue made the announcement Monday after concluding a tour of storm-affected areas in northwest Georgia. Polk, Floyd, and Bartow counties were hit by strong storms and tornadoes on Saturday. Two people were reported killed and at least 20 homes destroyed. Perdue says as damage assessments continue to come in, areas of NW Georgia could be added to the declaration request.

State insurance officials now say that the storms that hit Georgia over the past weekend are the most expensive in the state's history--hitting the mark of 250-million dollars. In Atlanta, where a tornado struck the downtown-area Friday night, the damage number is well over 150-million dollars alone.

Alabama Governor looks to deny Georgia request

Alabama Governor Bob Riley has sent a letter to President Bush, urging him to deny a request by Georgia's Sonny Perdue for a disaster declaration in north Georgia. Riley says people and jobs in his state of Alabama are at risk if the President makes the Georgia declaration. Riley says that while he understands the needs of metro Atlanta residents, he says Alabama cannot stand by and let Georgia take control of the water from the Lake Lanier reservoir.

Perdue organizes drought command center

In order to force the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to reduce the flow of water out of Lake Lanier, Governor Sonny Perdue has gone to federal court, has declared north Georgia a state disaster zone, and has asked President Bush for help.

The Governor says he has put together a drought command center, in case he doesn't get his way from the federal level.

"Plan B are strategic measures of tankering-in water and other things, assuming there would no adequate rainfall. Those are not possibilities that we'd like to think of, but they're possibilities that must be planned for. I'm not trying to panic people, but they expect us to have a plan in place".

The Corps says it is bound by federal law to keep a base flow in the Chattahoochee River. Other rivers, creeks and lakes in north Georgia are also running low, in what is now considered an epic drought.