Washington, D.C. -  U.S. Rep. Timothy V. Johnson announced this afternoon that President Bush has declared Iroquois and Livingston counties federal disaster areas in the wake of devastating floods that occurred Jan. 7-8.

   The declaration specifically authorizes individual assistance for people of those counties whose homes were damaged or destroyed.

   The declaration by the President was made today after the state and counties’ initial appeal was denied. State and local officials brought the Federal Emergency Management Agency back for a reassessment of damage, which Rep. Johnson said was critical in overturning the original denial of federal aid.

   “This is terrific news,” Rep. Johnson said. “While long overdue, it is a credit to the people of Pontiac and Watseka and the surrounding rural areas so hard hit that they persisted in bringing their case to the federal government. It’s been two months since the floods and things are far from normal in these areas.

   “As I said in letters to FEMA and to the White House, this is not a disaster on the scale of Katrina, but it is every bit as devastating to the already fragile lives of the elderly, the parents and the children who have been rendered homeless and more destitute because of a natural disaster they in no way could have prepared for or defended against.”

   In addition to individual assistance, the declaration also makes available hazard mitigation assistance to help local governments recover some of the costs they incurred for emergency services.

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