Federal aid has been granted to help Kentucky recover from tornado damage incurred Dec. 10-11.
President Joe Biden approved a request by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear for an emergency disaster declaration in the aftermath of the devastating tornadoes that killed scores of people, the White House announced Dec. 12. Biden also ordered federal aid for the state's initial recovery efforts in the areas affected by the severe storms, winds, and flooding, the announcement stated.
The declaration releases federal funding to Cladwell, Fulton, Graves, Hopkins, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Taylor and Warren counties. Federal assistance can include grants for housing, home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the disaster, according to the announcement.
A major disaster is declared when the president approves a request from the governor of a state devastated by a severe storm, according to information on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's website. The declaration can be adjusted to add more affected areas as damage assessments are completed.
Kentucky's congressional delegation united behind the governor’s request for aid, sending a joint letter to President Biden to urge approval, Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) announced on its website Dec. 11.
“We write to draw your attention to the December 11, 2021 letter from Governor Andy Beshear requesting a disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky due to the severe weather events," the delegation wrote in the letter. "We strongly support this request and ask for your timely consideration'”
In granting the request, the president President Biden noted the "deadly and devastating tornadoes that moved across several states in the central United States, including touching down across 227 miles of Kentucky alone."
The president said his approval of the declaration request for Kentucky was "going to accelerate federal emergency assistance for Kentucky right now when it’s urgently needed."
President Biden also contacted governors of Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, and Tennessee, all of which were hit by the deadly storms. He offered support to the other states, saying, "I stand ready to do the same for the governors of the other states – and I’ve made it clear to them – if they request emergency declaration."
The president also approved the emergency requests from Tennessee and Illinois, the White House announced. For Tennessee, this action authorizes federal funding for the counties of Cheatham, Decatur, Dickson, Dyer, Gibson, Lake, Obion, Stewart, and Weakley, according to the White House. Assistance also is available for the counties of Bond, Cass, Coles, Effingham, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Pike, and Shelby in Illinois.
