Officials have set a Jan. 2 deadline for state agencies, local governments and private nonprofit organizations hurt by October’s tornadoes and storms in designated counties to apply for federal funds.
Applicants must submit Requests for Public Assistance forms to the state within 30 days of the date the area was designated part of the federal major disaster declaration.
The affected counties are Boone, Bradley, Calhoun, Carroll, Cleburne, Cleveland, Columbia, Conway, Cross, Dallas, Franklin, Fulton, Grant, Izard, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Monroe, Nevada, Newton, Ouachita, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saint Francis, Scott, Sharp, Stone, Union, Van Buren, White and Woodruff.
Those areas were designated eligible for public assistance on Dec. 3.
Officials have set Jan. 15 as the deadline for forms from Drew County. Drew County was designated eligible for federal funds on Dec. 16.
So far, 55 requests have been filed to recover money spent on debris removal and road and bridge repairs, among other projects. FEMA will pay 75 percent of eligible costs of public assistance projects, and the state will cover the remaining 25 percent.
More information or questions on eligibility is available from a county’s manager of emergency services.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 20 on 12/27/2009