Hooley Pushes Bush Administration for Federal Major Disaster Declaration
--Hooley, Wu Spearhead Delegation Letter Sent to President Today --
Today, Congresswoman Darlene Hooley (OR-5) and her colleagues in the Oregon Congressional Delegation sent a letter to President Bush urging him to honor Oregon's request for a federal major disaster declaration, a move that would make federal resources available to Oregon.
"The quicker the President acts, the quicker we can get federal resources deployed to areas on the Oregon Coast that were impacted by the severe weather," said Hooley. "Our friends and neighbors are without power, food and drinking water. The President must act immediately."
During a conference yesterday between Oregon's Congressional Delegation and Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, the Governor announced that he would seek a federal major disaster declaration by President Bush for Lincoln, Tillamook, Clatsop, Columbia and Yamhill counties.
Hooley and Congressman David Wu (OR-1) spearheaded the letter to President Bush asking him to make the declaration so that supplemental federal assistance could be made available. In the letter sent to the President this morning, Hooley and her colleagues urged the President to act quickly.
Text of the letter sent to the President follows:
December 5, 2007
The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
We hereby ask you to grant the request of Governor Theodore R. Kulongoski to declare a major disaster for the Oregon counties of Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook, Yamhill, and Lincoln resulting from the major winter storm that pounded the northern coast of Oregon on December 1 to 3, 2007. The storm brought winds exceeding 120 miles per hour and more than 10 inches of rain in a twenty-four hour period. The devastating damage isolated towns, left citizens without housing, transportation, communications, water, heat or electricity, and caused loss of life.
Governor Kulongoski acting under Oregon State law directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on December 3, 2007, in accordance with Section 401 of the Stafford Act. The governor formally declared a statewide State of Emergency, including Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook, Yamhill, and Lincoln counties, as well as lands of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz and lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde.
Governor Kulongoski has contacted the Department of Homeland Security about the needs of the state. He has met with representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to perform a joint preliminary damage assessment. The governor concluded that this storm was of such severity and magnitude that the ability to respond and recover is beyond the capabilities of the State of Oregon and the affected local governments. Supplementary federal assistance is necessary.
The governor and the Oregon Department of Transportation will seek emergency funds for road repair to reopen affected transportation corridors. These funds will repair Highways 26, 35, 30 and secondary roads, which were damaged by flooding, landslides or fallen trees.
Additionally, 58,000 households in Oregon are without power and may remain so for at least the next three days. The same areas are without telephone or communication services which adversely affect state response efforts.
The State of Oregon, the Oregon National Guard and the United States Coast Guard exerted extraordinary efforts in the rescue and recovery of victims of this storm. Now we need federal assistance to help communities rebuild and serve the needs of displaced citizens.
We cannot convey how important this declaration is. With the beginning of the holiday season, it is important that this declaration be made quickly, not only to provide swift federal assistance, but also to provide the reassurance that we have the government Americans expect and deserve.
We thank you in advance for prompt attention to this vital matter.
Sincerely,
Congressman David Wu, Congresswoman Darlene Hooley, Senator Ron Wyden, Senator Gordon Smith, Congressman Peter DeFazio, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, and Congressman Greg Walden.