Biden declares disaster in 13 Illinois counties after tornadoes. Here’s what it means.
President Joe Biden approved an emergency disaster declaration for 13 Illinois counties following tornadoes on Friday that killed six at an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville and caused other severe damage across downstate.
The declaration makes federal assistance available to Bond, Cass, Coles, Effingham, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Pike and Shelby counties.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will coordinate disaster relief efforts, which includes providing equipment and resources for cleanup. The federal government will pay for 75% of the costs.
When the president approves an emergency declaration, it frees up to $5 million in assistance without congressional approval. There are two types of assistance available:
- Public assistance: Debris removal, money for emergency center operations, technical assistance, emergency medical services, security and law enforcement, search and recovery, reimbursement for overtime costs
- Individual assistance: Financial and other services for households affected by the disaster (Approval for this type of assistance is rare, according to FEMA.)
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, U.S. Reps. Mike Bost, Rodney Davis and Mary Miller, and U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin called on the president to declare a disaster in 28 counties. They wanted the declaration to cover Champaign, Edgar, Ford, Greene, Grundy, Iroquois, Jackson, Kankakee, Lawrence, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Sangamon, Tazewell and Woodford, as well as the 13 counties Biden approved.
Elected officials were awaiting a response from FEMA on why assistance wasn’t approved for all 28 counties. Often the worst hit counties get approval first and are sometimes followed by others. Durbin said he hopes the counties will be approved for an emergency declaration.
“It is my understanding that the remaining counties that have not yet been placed under the declaration, but were requested by the Governor, have not been denied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency but may require more information for a determination. We hope to see those counties also placed under the declaration so they can get the assistance they need,” Durbin said in an emailed statement.
Pritzker issued a state disaster proclamation for all 28 counties. It authorizes the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to respond with supplemental aid, and it provides workers, equipment and other resources as well.
This story was originally published December 14, 2021 at 10:33 AM.
