DES MOINES – Governor Terry E. Branstad today issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for Clinton County in response to recent severe weather.
The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of severe storms that significantly impacted the county on March 15, 2016. In addition, the proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for Clinton County residents.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the current federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $40,320, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.
The language in the proclamation reads as follows:
WHEREAS, on March 15, 2016, a severe storm system affected the state of Iowa; and
WHEREAS, this storm system caused severe weather, including straight-line winds, heavy rains and large hail resulting in significant damage to public and private property, utility disruptions, minor personal injuries and required evacuations due to safety concerns; and
WHEREAS, Clinton County suffered significant damage from this event; and
WHEREAS, reports forwarded to the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department by the Clinton County emergency management coordinator and others in the affected county indicate that local resources and capabilities have been exhausted and that state assistance and resources are needed to respond to and recover from the effects of this event; and
WHEREAS, reports forwarded to the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department by the Clinton County emergency management coordinator and other officials in the affected county indicate that state individual assistance pursuant to Iowa Code § 29C.20A and 441 Iowa Admin. Code 58.2 (1) is needed to assist certain individuals and families adversely affected by the disaster who otherwise cannot be helped by other means of financial assistance and for whom federal assistance under the Stafford Act is either not available or does not adequately meet the needs of the citizens in the disaster area; and
WHEREAS, these conditions threaten the public peace, health, and safety of citizens of the State of Iowa and have damaged and destroyed public and private property. Because of this, they provide legal justification for the issuance of a Proclamation of a State of Disaster Emergency pursuant to Iowa Code § 29C.6 (1).
A. NOW, THEREFORE, I, TERRY E. BRANSTAD, Governor of the State of Iowa, by the power and authority vested in me by the Iowa Constitution Art. IV, §§ 1, 8 and Iowa Code § 29C.6 (1), and all other applicable laws, do hereby proclaim a STATE OF DISASTER EMERGENCY for Clinton County and do hereby ORDER and DIRECT the following:
As required by Iowa Code § 29C.6 (1), (10) and 42 U.S.C. § 5170 in cases of Presidential Disaster Declarations, this Proclamation of Disaster Emergency activates the disaster response and recovery aspects of the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department’s Iowa Emergency Response Plan and those additional response plans applicable to the county affected by this disaster and authorizes the use and deployment of all available state resources, supplies, equipment, and materials as are reasonably necessary to assist those citizens located in the disaster county.
I authorize the Iowa Department of Human Services under the terms and conditions as allowed by Iowa law to render individual disaster assistance to eligible residents of Clinton County who are affected by this disaster. Iowa Code § 29C.20A and 441 Iowa Admin. Code 58.2 (1).
This state of disaster emergency shall be effective on March 17, 2016, shall continue for thirty (30) days, and shall expire on April 16, 2016, unless sooner terminated or extended in writing by me. Iowa Code § 29C.6 (1).
