Governor Jan Brewer Requests Major Disaster Declaration from President Obama

Press Release

Governor Jan Brewer today submitted a letter to President Barack Obama
requesting a federal Major Disaster Declaration for nine Arizona counties and six tribal nations as a result of severe winter storm activity in January. With assessments of storm damage still underway, Arizona has reached the threshold for eligibility for consideration of the federal declaration. The federal declaration would follow Governor Brewer's previous state emergency declaration for the use of state emergency funds.

"My request for a Major Disaster Declaration in support of our counties and tribal nations is critically important to storm recovery for many Arizona families," said Governor Brewer. "A federal declaration would bring further assistance to the recovery effort and help shoulder the cost of restoring impacted communities."

The Governor is requesting Federal Assistance in the form of Individual Assistance (homeowners, renters, business owners), Public Assistance (public infrastructure damage) and Mitigation Assistance Programs.

Governor Brewer's request for a Major Disaster Declaration comes while preliminary damage assessment teams continue to review the scope and severity of damage done to residential, commercial and public property across our state.

Governor Brewer's request to President Obama includes Apache, Coconino, Gila, Greenlee, La Paz, Mohave, Navajo, Pinal and Yavapai counties and the tribal nations of Gila River Indian Community, Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Tohono O'odham Nation, San Carlos Apache Tribe and the White Mountain Apache Tribe. Maricopa and Pima counties and the City of Yuma also suffered
storm damage, but not to the severity necessary to be eligible under a Major Disaster Declaration.

The President will approve or deny Arizona's Major Disaster Declaration request based on summary estimates of damages. A Major Disaster Declaration would put into motion long-term federal recovery programs designed to help disaster survivors, businesses and public entities to recover losses not covered by insurance.

A Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance could release funds for housing assistance and "necessary expenses and serious needs" not covered by insurance.

A Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance could provide federal grant assistance to political jurisdictions in one or more of seven work categories, including the completion of emergency protective measures and the repair of public roads and bridges.

Visit the Arizona Emergency Information Network website, www.azein.gov, for real-time incident updates, preparedness and hazard information, and multimedia resources.

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