Thursday, February 25, 2010

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley today said President Barack Obama declared a major disaster declaration for Iowa, triggering the release of FEMA funds to help Iowa recover from the severe winter storm and snowstorm that occurred on December 23 - 27.  Additional designations may be made at a later date after further evaluation.

"Winter weather hit Iowa extremely hard and caused an enormous amount of damage," Grassley said.  "It's good to see this disaster being addressed by President Obama so Iowans can continue cleaning up the damage."

FEMA will provide assistance to Adair, Audubon, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cherokee, Clay, Crawford, Emmet, Franklin, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Ida, Monona, Page, Pottawattamie, Sac, Shelby, Sioux and Woodbury counties through the Public Assistance program.  The Public Assistance program assists state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.

FEMA will also provide snow assistance for emergency protective measures for a 48-hour period for Cherokee, Clay, Emmet, Fremont, Harrison, Ida, Page, Pottawattamie, Sioux and Woodbury counties.

All Iowa counties are also eligible to apply for assistance through the Hazard Mitigation Grant program.  The Hazard Mitigation Grant program assists state and local governments and certain private non-profit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards.

Grassley sent a letter to Obama asking him to grant Governor Chet Culver's request to declare Iowa a major disaster area as a result of the severe winter storm and snowstorm that occurred on December 23 - 27.

A copy of the text of Grassley's letter can be found by clicking here.

On Saturday, February 27 at 10:00 am, the Wapsi River Environmental Education Center will host a Winter tree identification program. Families and individuals are invited to be Winter tree detectives!  Participants will learn how to identify trees by looking at the bark, buds and seeds.  Please call to register (563) 328-3286.

Also on Saturday, February 27 at 1:00 pm, the Wapsi River Environmental Education Center will host a maple syruping demonstration. Join Tom Greene as he discusses the history and procedure of tapping trees for syrup.  Handouts and where to find tapping equipment wil be provided to participants.  Please call (563) 328-3286 to register.

The Wapsi River Environmental Education Center can be found 6 miles south of Wheatland or 1 mile northwest of Dixon, Iowa, by taking County Road Y4E. then turn north at 52nd Avenue and follow the signs for about 1 mile.

LIHEAP- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Project NOW, Inc would like to remind the public that appointments are still available for those needing assistance with their utility bills through the LIHEAP Program.  If you have not yet received LIHEAP assistance since September 1, 2009, please call the below numbers.  LIHEAP assistance is available to all low-income households throughout Rock Island, Henry, and Mercer counties. Please call your local project now office to make an appointment. Assistance will be available through May 31, 2010 or until funding is exhausted. Eligibility requirements apply, you must be at or below 150% of poverty, and income guidelines are as follows:

Project Now Office Locations:

Rock Island Office- 309-793-6391

Moline Office- 309-764-8092

Henry County- 309-852-4565

Mercer County- 309-582-2644

*Whether you have received LIHEAP Assistance or not since September 1, 2009, if you have a disconnect notice or are disconnected, please call any of the above offices as soon as possible.

Project NOW Community Action Agency provides a wide range of social services in Rock Island, Henry and Mercer Counties.  Programs include Head Start, Outreach, Housing, Utility Assistance, Homeless Services, Apartment and Commercial Property Rentals, Senior Services, Weatherization, Good Things NOW Clothing Stores, Business Start-Up Assistance and Revolving Loan Funds. Services are designed to help families with low income and senior citizens meet basic needs and achieve self sufficiency.  Project NOW was incorporated on May 15, 1968 and has been working to help low-income individuals improve their lives ever since.

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WASHINGTON. D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that $871,300 in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) from the Department of Energy (DOE) are coming to Davenport.  These funds were awarded to help the city improve its energy efficiency, reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions and create green jobs locally.  Harkin is a senior member of the panel that funds energy initiatives.

"Iowa is already a leader in clean energy production and energy conservation. This funding will further our efforts to reduce energy costs in Davenport," said Harkin. "Additionally, these projects will create good 'green collar' jobs in Iowa and support our local economy."

Nationally, this block grant program provides funds for energy audits and building retrofits in the residential and commercial sector, the development and implementation of advanced building codes and inspections and the creation of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements.