Three counties included in federal declaration

By TONY FYFFE

BSN Editor

FRANKFORT — Lawrence, Johnson and Floyd counties are included in a federal disaster declaration issued Sunday by President Joe Biden.

The 13-county declaration allows federal assistance to supplement Kentucky and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides, and mudslides from Dec. 31, 2021, to January 2 of this year.

Other counties included in the declaration are Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Christian, Clay, Green, Knott, Owsley, Pike, and Taylor.

Federal funding is available to Kentucky 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 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that occurred in the counties during the specified time frame.

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

Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), named John Brogan as the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by Kentucky and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.