President declares major disaster for Illinois

[June 25, 2008]  WASHINGTON -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Tuesday that federal disaster aid has been made available for Illinois to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and flooding during the period beginning June 1 and continuing.

FEMA Administrator David Paulison said that federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work undertaken to save lives and protect property in the counties of Adams, Calhoun, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Hancock, Henderson, Jasper Lawrence, Mercer, Pike and Rock Island. This is limited to direct federal assistance.

Paulison named Elizabeth Turner the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Turner said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

[Text from file received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency]