Iowa Winter Storm Damage Tops $65 Million; Governor Seeks Federal Aid

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver sent a letter to President Bush, requesting a presidential disaster declaration for 46 Iowa counties.

Damage assessment for potential eligible expenses from winter storms that battered parts of Iowa in the past week totaled $34.7 million, and estimated damage attributed to rural electrical cooperatives totaled $31.8 million, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

Culver sent a letter to Bush last week.

The 46 counties include: Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Calhoun, Cedar, Chickasaw, Clinton, Des Moines, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Iowa Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Marion, Marshall, Mitchell, Muscatine, Pocahontas, Poweshiek, Story, Tama, Van Buren, Wapello, Washington, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Worth and Wright.

Sens. Tom Harkin and Charles Grassley, and members of Iowa’s congressional delegation also urged Bush to approve the request.