November 07, 2002
Thursday - 12:45 am

Following recommendations made by his Disaster Policy Cabinet Wednesday morning, Gov. Tony Knowles on Wednesday signed state disaster declarations for areas of the Kenai affected by severe recent floods and for communities pounded by last Sunday's 7.9 earthquake east of Denali Park. Knowles also added Shishmaref to a disaster declaration issued on October 23 to provide immediate assistance to Kotzebue and Kivalina after a severe fall storm blew through the Northwest Arctic Borough.

"In times of need, Alaskans stand together," said Knowles as he signed the disaster declarations. "We really came through very well and I'm very proud of the dedication and professionalism exhibited by State workers from the Departments of Transportation and Public Facilities, Public Safety, Natural Resources, Environmental Conservation, and Military and Veterans Affairs in responding to these extraordinary situations."

In late October the Kenai Peninsula Borough experienced one of the worst floods to roll through the Borough in thirty years,
 
when two days of saturating driving rain were followed by a series of storm fronts. From three to fifteen inches of heavy rain caused widespread damage, school closures, and road washouts and stranded residents and hunters throughout the Kenai Peninsula.

Gov. Knowles today signed a State Disaster Declaration for the following areas of the Kenai Peninsula Borough: the cities of Homer, Seward, Kenai, and Soldotna, and Kodiak Island Borough, and the community of Chignik Bay. A finance plan of about $20 million is proposed for consideration by the Legislature. Knowles also asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to evaluate the area for a federal Presidential Disaster Declaration.

On Sunday November 3, a massive earthquake struck south of Fairbanks, causing damage to roads and highways, rural homes, drinking water systems, and fuel storage systems, and requiring Alyeska to shut down the Trans-Alaska Pipeline for several days. The magnitude 7.9 quake damaged roads and caused significant damage in Mentasta, Northway, Tetlin, and other communities in the eastern interior.

Governor Knowles today declared a state of disaster in Fairbanks North Star Borough, the Denali Borough, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, and numerous communities within the Delta Greely, Alaska Gateway, Copper River, and Yukon-Koyukuk Regional Education Attendance Areas including the cities of Tetlin, Mentasta Lake, Northway, Dot Lake, Chistochina and Tanacross, and the unincorporated communities of Slana and Tok.

Knowles' declaration will be the basis for the Governor's request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration for emergency disaster relief funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and for Federal Highway Administration emergency relief funds.

"Hopefully we will get expedited action from the federal government as we move to meet these urgent community needs," said Knowles.

Knowles has added the City of Shishmaref to the Northwest Arctic Borough State Disaster Declaration issued on October 23 which covered Kotzebue and Kivalina. Knowles has authorized the State to reimburse City of Shishmaref for expenses it incurred in responding to the storm which caused erosion along its seafront. The Governor has also amended the earlier disaster declaration to provide a state match to move one home that is on the bluff and extremely vulnerable. Federal funds have been requested for the move, for which the State would only need to provide a 25 percent match. The total cost of this amendment is less than $20,000.

Source of News Release:

Office of the Governor
Web Site

 

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