By Trish Svoboda

Today, April 11, Governor Laura Kelly sent a letter to President Joe Biden through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), seeking a significant federal disaster declaration for Kansas. This request was due to the damage endured by several Kansas counties from a winter storm system that brought snow, high winds, and severe cold temperatures from January 8 to 16, 2024. Governor Kelly has asked for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to be implemented statewide and the Public Assistance Program – Categories A through G, to be applied to the following counties: Butler, Chase, Cloud, Edwards, Ford, Geary, Gray, Hodgeman, Morris, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Shawnee, Stafford, Trego, and Wabaunsee.

“In January, many Kansas counties were impacted by the winter storm system that moved across the state,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I am requesting this disaster declaration to ensure our counties have the resources they need to repair the damages caused by these storms and get things back to normal for these Kansas communities.”