Congressional Delegation Announces $14 Million For State’s Recovery From January Ice Storm
Washington – U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and U.S. Representatives Marion Berry (AR-01), Vic Snyder (AR-02), and John Boozman (AR-03) today announced that Arkansas will receive $14,849,105 in disaster assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The funds will assist in ongoing cleanup and recovery efforts from the January ice storm. They are to be distributed as follows:
$2,017,821 from FEMA for Craighead Electric Cooperative;
$2,982,228 from FEMA for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative; and
$9,849,056 from DOT for Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clay, Cleburne, Conway, Craighead, Crawford, Cross, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Mississippi, Newton, Poinsett, Pope, Randolph, Searcy, Sharp, Stone, Van Buren, and Washington Counties.
“January’s ice storm caused significant damage to the northern half of our state,” Lincoln said. “In the days after the storm, our first responders and community members answered the call by assisting in the recovery response. I am pleased that the federal government is doing its part to help with cleanup efforts.”
“Cleaning up the damage and debris required considerable time and manpower,” Pryor said. “I’m pleased FEMA and DOT came through with more federal resources to help offset the costs electric cooperatives and counties incurred.”
“The January ice storm has left a trail of damage and destruction that required a considerable amount of time and efforts to clean up,” said Berry. “This funding will provide local officials the resources they need to recover from this natural disaster and rebuild their communities.”
“Ongoing cleanup and additional recovery work are needed to help fix the electrical infrastructure and repair the federal highways damaged by January’s ice storms,” said Snyder. “I am grateful these funds are being sent our way to help Arkansas recover.”
“Arkansas sustained heavy damage due to the ice storm and these funds will help revitalize our communities impacted from the devastation. I remain committed to working to get the funding and the resources we need to respond to this disaster,” Boozman said.
The FEMA grants will help fund the repair and replacement of power system components damaged or destroyed by the January ice storm. The DOT funds will assist in the cost of removing debris and repairing damage on federal-aid highways affected by the January ice storm.
