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Governor Declares Disaster for Kodiak Storms   Printer Friendly

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 09-071

November 6, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell has declared a state disaster related to the 2009 Kodiak Island storm. The state will fund eligible emergency-response costs, eligible permanent repair work, and long-term solutions for the landslide and road erosion damage from the storms.

“The Kodiak Island Borough did a great job handling the initial response to the flooding and minimized the impact on the people of Kodiak,” said Governor Parnell. “This disaster declaration will help fund the emergency response costs and infrastructure repair projects that will restore the community to pre-disaster condition.”

Beginning in early October, the Kodiak Island Borough received substantial rainfall, causing floods, landslides and erosion that clogged culverts and washed out roads. Heavy rains and flooding continued through the month.

The Kodiak Island Borough, Kodiak Electric Association, City of Kodiak and the Alaska Department of Transportation made emergency repairs and took protective measures on roadways and other critical infrastructure.

The disaster declaration activates the state’s Public Assistance program, which will help state, tribal, and local governments, as well as certain private nonprofit organizations, with repairing infrastructure damage.

Governor Parnell has directed the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to request a federal Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment, the first step in a request for federal disaster assistance.

The Kodiak Island Borough requested a state disaster declaration on October 16.

A copy of the disaster declaration is available at: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/DisasterDecKodiak_Nov4-2009.pdf.

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