In the wake of destructive storms that swept through southwest Missouri this spring, Governor Mike Kehoe has stepped up, officially requesting federal support to aid in the recovery, according to the Governor's office. Kehoe is aiming for two distinct types of assistance: an SBA Disaster Declaration to help Greene, Lawrence, and Newton counties, and a federal Major Disaster Declaration targeting the needs of Dade, Douglas, Ozark, Vernon, and Webster counties.
The call to action comes after the region was hammered by severe weather events, including tornadoes, straight-line winds, and floods, that left a trail of destruction affecting homes, businesses, and vital infrastructure. In a move to protect the people and restore the fabric of these communities, the Governor pinpointed the periods of April 29 and May 23-26 as particularly catastrophic. It has been reported that at least 80 homes and five businesses took a major hit from the April 29 storms, spurring a request for SBA Disasters Loans to cushion the blow, yet on June 9, President Donald Trump had greenlit a Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance to aid in infrastructure repair in these same counties.
Additionally, joint assessments with the SBA and local officials paint a stark reality of more than 40% uninsured losses in the most affected areas during the April storm, signaling a substantial need for the low-interest loans Governor Kehoe seeks. Furthermore, FEMA's cooperation with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and local authorities surfaced over $18 million in emergency response costs and damages as of the Memorial Day weekend turbulence—the basis for the Governor's push for the aforementioned Major Disaster Declaration.
This latter declaration could unlock FEMA's Public Assistance program for local governments and qualifying nonprofits, enabling the restoration of shattered roads, bridges, and a wide variety of public utilities, along with shouldering emergency response outlays and the weight of debris removal, "Today, we are requesting a federal disaster declaration for the May 23-26 storms to rebuild damaged infrastructure in five counties and low interest loans to support homeowners, renters, and businesses in the three counties hardest by the April 29 storms," Governor Kehoe said, highlighting the urgency and scope of the needs within these communities.
