8 Additional Tennessee Counties Approved For Federal Disaster Aid

The federal government authorized a major disaster declaration for eight additional storm-affected Tennessee counties, according to Gov.Phil Bredesen.

Benton, Hickman, Houston, Lewis, Montgomery, Perry, Trousdale and Williamson Counties will receive federal funding to assist individuals and businesses affected by the tornadoes that hit the region on Feb. 5.

Hardin, Macon, Madison, Shelby and Sumner Counties, which were among the hardest hit in last week’s storms, were authorized to receive federal aid last week.

“I am pleased to hear the authorization of federal funding to aid these distressed counties,” Bredesen said Tuesday. “As I toured Tennessee last week, the devastation caused by these deadly storms drove home to me once again how critically important it is to bring state and federal assistance to bear to help these communities recover as quickly as possible.”

The federal aid authorized will supplement state and local recovery efforts that began on Feb. 5 when the storms first struck Tennessee. FEMA Administrator David Paulison, Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff and President Bush toured impacted areas of Tennessee on Feb. 7 and Feb. 8.

Individual assistance authorized for the eight counties can include grants and loans to individuals or businesses to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses.

Source: Office of the Governor of Tennessee