at 10:10 AM by Mallory Schnell

Obama Signs Disaster Declaration

Yesterday, President Barack Obama declared a major disaster still exists in the Commonwealth as a result of severe winter storms this past season. This Kentucky Disaster Declaration will provide federal aid to assist in paying for recovery efforts from the snowstorms, landslides, mudslides, and flooding that occurred between the dates of February 15-22 earlier this year.

Funding from the federal government is available on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work, repair, and replacement; commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations will receive this aid in particular Kentucky counties (WBKO).

Democratic Governor Steve Beshear requested the Kentucky Disaster Declaration on April 16th; Republican U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, along with U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, sent a letter to the President early Thursday urging for support of Beshear’s request (WLKY). FEMA named Jose M. Girot as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations for the affected areas in our state.

Geography and Meteorology students here at WKU (myself included!) will be participating in research this summer that will analyze the back-to-back winter storm events that occurred across the state earlier this year. Meteorology professor Dr. Josh Durkee will be heading the research, as we explore how hazards relate to snowstorms, mudslides, and flooding, as well as the meteorological reasoning behind the extreme event. With the most recent Kentucky Disaster Declaration, this research is as relevant as ever.