Additional Oklahoma Counties Get Winter Storm Help

Wednesday, February 21st 2007, 7:53 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday approved 20 additional Oklahoma counties for public assistance to help clean up damage caused by winter storms.

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management requested last week that the counties be added to 22 counties that had already been approved for such federal aid.

The new counties are Alfalfa, Canadian, Comanche, Dewey, Garvin, Grant, Greer, Jackson, Jefferson, Kay, Lincoln, Osage, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Tillman, Tulsa, Washington, Washita and Woods.

The designation means that the federal government will pay 75 percent of costs of debris removal, infrastructure repairs, emergency protective measures and restoration of utilities. The state and local governments will each pay 12.5 percent.

Governor Brad Henry said state officials are continuing to push for approval of individual assistance.