White House Approves Request For Oklahoma Ice Storm Aid

NewsOn6.com 

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The White House announced Friday evening that it had approved Gov. Brad Henry's request for a major disaster declaration for the January 28 ice storm.

Under the declaration, 25 counties will receive public assistance for expenses related to response and recovery efforts for the crippling winter storm.

The counties are: Alfalfa, Caddo, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Delaware, Dewey, Ellis, Grady, Greer, Harmon, Haskell, Hughes, Jackson, Kiowa, LeFlore, McClain, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Roger Mills, Seminole, Stephens and Washita.

Already preliminary damage estimates exceed $69 million. Damage surveys continue in other counties throughout the state. As they reach the federal threshold for relief, a request will be made to add additional counties to the disaster declaration.

Friday's announcement adds to the disaster assistance already granted under an emergency declaration approved Jan. 30. The emergency declaration delivered federal resources during response to the winter storm. These resources included industrial size generators, bottled water, cots and blankets.