Reynolds seeks federal disaster declaration for record snowfalls

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is asking for federal help for 18 counties – including Scott, Muscatine and Clinton in the Quad Cities region – after a swath of Iowa was blanketed by record-breaking snowfalls in January.  The state announced earlier this week that the governor has requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration for those counties impacted […]

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is asking for federal help for 18 counties – including Scott, Muscatine and Clinton in the Quad Cities region – after a swath of Iowa was blanketed by record-breaking snowfalls in January.  The state announced earlier this week that the governor has requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration for those counties impacted by the storm that hit between Jan. 8-14. The request seeks funding under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance Program. Counties included are Adair, Black Hawk, Cedar, Clinton, Davis, Delaware, Dubuque, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Lucas, Montgomery, Polk, Scott, Story, Wapello, and Washington. 

In her letter to President Biden, Ms. Reynolds wrote that the heavy snow, blizzard conditions, and life-threatening cold “resulted in a significant emergency response as well as damage to public infrastructure and private property.”  The winter storms resulted in more than $8 million worth of damage that, she said, could be eligible for the Public Assistance program.  “I have determined this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and supplementary federal assistance is necessary to save lives and to protect property, public health and safety, or to less or avert the threat of a disaster,” the letter said. 

What can funds be used for?

Read the letter in its entirety here.  Funding from the federal program could be used to recoup costs related to snow removal, de-icing, salting, sanding of roads and other eligible facilities, and other emergency protective measures including but not limited to search and rescue and sheltering.   The governor’s request for a major disaster declaration did not include a request for federal Individual Assistance.  Over the course of the storm, local emergency response teams rescued more than 1,200 Iowans from vehicles trapped in snow. The Iowa State Patrol alone reported responding to 619 motorist assist calls and 225 crashes from Jan.8-9 and another 1,183 motorists assist calls and 168 crashes from Jan. 12-14, according to her letter.  Record snowfall was reported in eight of the 18 counties, including Scott County. Waterloo received 23.9 inches of snow, besting the five-day record by eight inches, Ms. Reynolds wrote.

Disaster claims a life

In addition, the state saw wind gusts of up to 50 mph and minus 40-degree wind chill, which caused multiple road closures, water main breaks, frozen building pipes and broken snow removal equipment. One highway-related fatality also was reported during the storm. The governor’s request received the support of the Iowa delegation – led by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley – which also called on President Biden to approve the governor’s request. The Republican senator was joined by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst and Reps. Ashley Hinson, Randy Feenstra, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn.  “We respectively ask that you promptly grant the request made by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds for a major disaster declaration for the State of Iowa as a result of severe winter storms that produced heavy snow, blizzard conditions, and life-threatening cold…” the lawmakers wrote in a letter dated Wednesday, Feb. 14.