NEWS RELEASE

Office of Governor Brad Henry
State of Oklahoma
State Capitol – Oklahoma City OK 73105
405-521-2342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 9, 2008

Oklahoma City - Gov. Brad Henry today announced that President Bush has approved Oklahoma’s request for federal disaster assistance for cities and counties hit hard by severe spring storms. The announcement means federal funding is now available to help pay for infrastructure repairs and response costs related to flooding, tornadoes and other severe weather that occurred in April.

Under the declaration, public assistance is delivered to the following 23 counties for damage that occurred between April 9 and April 28: Adair, Caddo, Coal, Delaware, Haskell, Hughes, Johnson, Latimer, Logan, Love, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Okfuskee, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pittsburg, Pushmataha, Rogers, Seminole, Sequoyah, Tillman and Wagoner.

“I am grateful to President Bush for his approval of our disaster-assistance request,” Gov. Henry said. “Many Oklahomans were seriously impacted by severe storms earlier this spring. This assistance will greatly help the recovery process.”

Preliminary estimates show nearly $22 million in damage from storms in March and April, primarily to municipal and county roads and bridges. Earlier this week, the White House approved federal disaster assistance for 13 counties in the state impacted by March flooding.

State emergency management officials will continue to work to secure public assistance for all Oklahoma cities, towns and counties impacted by the spring storms.