President Declares Major Disaster For Wisconsin

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced yesterday that federal disaster aid has been made available to the state of Wisconsin to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm and snowstorm during the period of January 31 to February 3, 2011.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the snowstorm in the counties of Dane, Dodge, Grant, Iowa, Kenosha, Lafayette, Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth, and Washington.

In addition, assistance is available to the state and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures, including snow assistance, for a continuous 48-hour period during or proximate to the incident period in the counties of Dane, Dodge, Grant, Iowa, Kenosha, Lafayette, Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth, and Washington.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Gregory W. Eaton has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.  Eaton said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.