Representatives Shea-Porter and Hodes Request Disaster Relief for Storm Impacted Areas

For Immediate Release

Friday, August 01, 2008

MEDIA CONTACT

Jamie Radice (Shea-Porter) 202-225-5456

Mark Bergman (Hodes) 202-226-2165

Representatives Shea-Porter and Hodes Request Disaster Relief for Storm Impacted Areas

Washington, DC—Today, Representatives Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes announced that they sent letters to FEMA administrator David Paulison and Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer urging Federal funding for New Hampshire areas affected by the July 24th storm and tornado.  The full text of the letters is below:

The Honorable R. David Paulison

Administrator

Federal Emergency Management Agency

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

500 C Street, SW

Washington, DC 20472-0001

Dear Administrator Paulison,

On July 24,2008, a tornado, severe winds, and heavy rains caused extensive damage to homes,

businesses, and public infrastructure in New Hampshire. The tornado tore through five counties,

destroyed homes, displaced families, downed trees and forests, and closed major state roadways. The

tornado rendered 100 homes uninhabitable, disrupted phone and electric service, and was responsible

for one fatality and numerous physical injuries.

The next day, we inspected the towns of Epsom and Barnstead and saw the destruction first hand.

These towns, like many communities in the State of New Hampshire, continue to recover from the

devastating floods that occurred in 2006, and local and state budgets are already stretched to their

limits.

We are hopeful that there may be Federal funding opportunities, such as fire grants, that would assist

the people of New Hampshire and the towns and local emergency response departments that were

impacted by this event. We appreciate your timely assistance and look forward to working with you to

provide any available Federal assistance to the people of New Hampshire.

Sincerely,

Carol Shea-Porter                                      

Member of Congress     

Paul Hodes

Member of Congress

***

The Honorable Ed Schafer

Secretary

United States Department Of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20250-0001

Dear Secretary Schafer,

On July 24, 2008, a tornado, severe winds, and heavy rains caused extensive damage to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure in New Hampshire. The tornado tore through five counties, destroyed homes, displaced families, downed trees and forests, and closed major state roadways. The tornado rendered more than 100 homes uninhabitable, disrupted phone and electric service, and was responsible for one fatality and numerous physical injuries.

The next day, we inspected the towns of Epsom and Barnstead and saw the destruction first hand. These towns, like many communities in the State of New Hampshire, continue to recover from the devastating floods that occurred in 2006, and local and state budgets are already stretched to their limits.

We are hopeful that there may be Federal funding opportunities, such as the Natural Resources Conservation Services' Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP), that would assist the people of New Hampshire and the towns and local emergency response departments that were impacted by this event. We noted the announcement of July 25, 2008, stating that there is an additional $390 million available in emergency funding for the EWP program. We appreciate your timely assistance and look forward to working with you to provide any available Federal assistance to the people of New Hampshire.

Sincerely,

Paul Hodes

Member of Congress

Carol Shea-Porter                                      

Member of Congress     

United States House of Representatives