The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency said that federal disaster aid has been made available for Iowa to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm during the period of December 10-11. FEMA also expanded the disaster declaration for the Southern California wildfires.

FEMA Administrator David Paulison said the assistance to Iowa was authorized under a major disaster declaration issued for the state by President Bush. The action makes federal funding available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storms.

Paulison named Justo Hernandez the as the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Hernandez said additional designations and types of assistance may be made later if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

And FEMA expanded the major disaster declaration issued for the Southern California wildfires on Oct. 24, to include flooding, mud flows and debris flows directly related to the wildfires.

The amendment to the presidential declaration means that only those areas within the previously designated counties specifically determined by FEMA to be damaged or adversely affected as a direct result of the compromised watershed conditions and fire-generated debris caused by the wildfires will be considered eligible for assistance on a case-by-case basis.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger requested the amendment on Dec. 20, citing the probability of additional damage to affected communities in the event of a heavy rainfall.

Besides assisting individuals, the federal government will provide funding to government agencies and eligible non-profit organizations for such activities as:

• Removal of fire-related debris moved by storms into public roads and flood control facilities;
• Emergency response to storm disruptions near wildfire damaged areas; and
• Repair to public facilities with storm damage related to wildfire effects.