After receiving an extension as damage assessments continued, Governor Tate Reeves has officially requested a major disaster declaration for public assistance following the winter storm that brought the state to a halt between February 11-19.
As a result of the storm that brought dangerous road conditions, widespread power outages and damage to public infrastructure, a total of 31 counties and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians have reported damages that exceed a total of $25 million.
The counties included in the request for Public Assistance are: Adams, Attala, Choctaw, Claiborne, Copiah, Covington, Franklin, Grenada, Hinds, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Kemper, Lafayette, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lincoln, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Pike, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Tallahatchie, Walthall, Warren, Winston, Yazoo.
*Counties may be added to the request at a later date if the damage threshold is met following damage assessments.
The purpose of the Public Assistance Program is to support local governments and certain nonprofits to recover from major disasters by providing them with grant assistance for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and the restoration of public infrastructure.
The request must be approved by the president for federal assistance to become available to local and county governments as well as certain nonprofits.
