President Bush has approved Governor Blunt’s request for a major disaster declaration in the wake of the ice storms that blasted Missouri over the weekend. The federal declaration opens the door for federal resources for the state and for local governments trying recover from the storm damage. The Governor declared a state of emergency for the hard hit areas on Saturday. He also mobilized the Missouri National Guard to assist emergency efforts. This federal disaster declaration includes Barry, Barton, Callaway, Camden, Christian, Cole, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Dent, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, Lincoln, Maries, McDonald, Miller, Montgomery, Newton, Osage, Phelps, Polk, Pulaski, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Louis, Stone, Warren, Webster and Wright Counties and the City of St. Louis for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program.
