Gov Quinn Comments of FEMA's Rejection of Funds for Tornado Damaged Harrisburg

SPRINGFIELD - March 12, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today issued the following statement regarding the state’s efforts to secure federal assistance for people affected by the Feb. 29 tornado.


“Today I spoke with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and informed her that we intend to appeal FEMA’s denial of our request for much-needed individual assistance for the people of Southern Illinois. I urged Secretary Napolitano to reconsider FEMA's decision. We are doing everything possible at the state level to help these devastated communities, but some of the assistance that our residents need to begin rebuilding their lives is only available through a federal disaster declaration.



“I met with local officials, spent time with residents and saw firsthand the devastation and damage caused by the tornado in Southern Illinois. FEMA underestimated the impact this deadly tornado had on small towns like Harrisburg and Ridgway. We have already begun work on our appeal of this decision in order to secure federal assistance.



“I am grateful to Senator Dick Durbin, Senator Mark Kirk and the Illinois Congressional Delegation for their vigorous support of our efforts to bring assistance to the people whose lives were ripped apart by the Feb. 29 tornado. We are hopeful our joint efforts will help FEMA understand that a full recovery from this disaster cannot happen without their support.”



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Durbin Asks FEMA and Army Corps to Explain Status of Levees in Metro East

From the Office of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Army Corps of Engineers to publicly release the data on the status of Metro East levees and make both agencies available to brief local community leaders and residents.

“Understanding the structural integrity of the levees in the Metro East area and the risk to those living behind them is fundamentally important to my constituents: hundreds of thousands of lives and billions in economic activity are at stake,” Durbin wrote. “Having access to information and your commitment to work with the local communities in addressing their concerns should be the bedrock of updating flood maps in any area.”

Durbin cited yesterday’s announcement that FEMA had agreed, at his urging, to delay the implementation of the new flood maps for the St. Louis region for at least one year as an opportunity for better understanding: “This additional time brings with it an opportunity for all of those affected by the updating of flood maps a chance to better understand the status of the levees in question and the flood mapping process. I respectfully request your assistance in providing residents of the Metro East area a more complete and transparent accounting of the status of the levees protecting their homes and businesses.”

Durbin Announces More Than $6 Million in FEMA Grants for Chicago Transit

From the Office of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin

July 27, 2009 - [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made $6,539,988 in grants available for Chicago area transit security.

“The funding announced today will help increase passenger safety along Chicago area transit lines that provide nearly two million rides each week day,” said Durbin. “As more and more people are choosing to leave their cars at home for their daily commute, we must ensure that public transit is not only an affordable, reliable, environmentally friendly alternative but also a safe one.”

Today’s funding is part of a $77.8 million announcement for transit security projects nationwide that employ visible, unpredictable deterrence measures including canine teams, mobile explosives detection screening teams, and Anti-Terrorism teams. Both CTA and Metra have a number of these types of security projects underway and in the planning stages. The following agencies will receive funding under today’s announcement:

• Chicago Transit Authority: $4,869,000
• Northeast Illinois Commuter Railroad Corporation (Metra): $1,670,988

Durbin Announces $1.5 Million FEMA Grant for Lake County

From the Office of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Lake County will receive $1,577,922 in funding from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for flood control efforts.

“This funding will support important flood control efforts in Lake County,” said Durbin. “This federal funding will help reduce costs to local governments for emergency rescue, infrastructure repair, debris removal and emergency shelters. During a time when local communities are facing major budget shortfalls, this federal investment will make an important difference.”

The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) – which coordinates the stormwater activities of over ninety local jurisdictions – will use today’s funding for the purchase and removal of eleven flood-prone properties located in five different repetitive flood problem areas. This project is a continuation of previous flood prone property acquisition work implemented by the SMC in 2003.

Buying flood-prone property is one of many approaches to mitigating natural flood hazards. Unlike other hazard mitigation techniques, however, such as elevating homes (e.g., on pilings) above flood levels or building a dike, voluntary purchase projects permanently reduce a community’s vulnerability to flooding by moving people out of harm’s way. Property purchased through this program is often used to create public open space such as parks, wildlife refuges, ball fields, etc.