GENERAL

Q: If I am a renter, do I qualify for FEMA assistance?
A: Homeowners and renters who sustained property damage as a result of the recent fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas are urged to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as they may be eligible for disaster assistance.

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Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama's disaster declaration issued for the State of Illinois.

Assistance for Affected Individuals and Families Can Include as Required:

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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of Illinois and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of April 16 to May 5, 2013.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry, and Will counties.

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Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama's disaster declaration issued for the State of South Dakota.

Assistance for the State, Tribal and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of South Dakota to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the area affected by a severe winter storm and snowstorm during the period of April 8-10, 2013.

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CHEROKEE, N.C. – Financial assistance under the first presidential disaster declaration issued to a tribal nation has topped $2.4 million, FEMA officials say.

 FEMA is funding repair and recovery projects for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians following severe weather that caused flooding and landslides in January.

 “This is the first time the federal government has worked one-on-one in partnership with a tribal government following a disaster,” said Michael Bolch, the FEMA official in charge of federal operations in the recovery. “It is a truly historic operation.”

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MASSEY’S LANDING (May 10, 2013) – DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Section, along with the Dewey Beach Lions Club, the Center for the Inland Bays and DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation, are seeking volunteers and working boats for the Ninth Annual Cleanup of the Inland Bays, which will be held on two Saturdays in June.

LEWES (May 10, 2013) – Unseasonably cool weather aside, the piping plover nesting season has gotten off to a noteworthy start with three nests spotted yesterday on the Point at Cape Henlopen State Park. A pair of piping plovers also has been seen at Gordon’s Pond, but they don’t appear to have set up a territory there yet.

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Community leaders from areas hit hard by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee met in Sayre on Saturday, April 27, 2013 to discuss best practices, challenges and objectives for moving forward as their towns continue to rebuild. The collaboration is an initiative to keep local organizations strong and growing in the direction of continued recovery.   

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DENTON, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson has selected Thomas “Mike” Womack as the new Director for FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office (LRO).

As LRO Director, Womack oversees FEMA’s recovery operations in Louisiana for hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike.

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WINDSOR, Conn. – The floodwaters may have receded months ago, but mold and mildew – dormant during the winter months -- may reappear in water-damaged homes as the weather warms.

Mold only grows in warm, wet conditions and may have been inactive and unnoticed during the winter months. It can lurk throughout a home, from the attic to the basement and crawl spaces.

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APPLYING FOR ASSISTANCE

Q: Who should apply for federal disaster assistance?
A: Homeowners, renters and business owners in McLennan County and the City of West who sustained uninsured or underinsured damage to their homes, vehicles, personal property, business or its inventory should register with FEMA for assistance.

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AUSTIN, Texas – The State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in West, Texas will be closed Sunday, May 12 for Mother’s Day.  The DRC will resume normal operations Monday, May 13. The hours will remain 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice.

Specialists from the state of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

Disaster Recovery Center Location:

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BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana residents who have questions about the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) have a permanent helpline to call to get the most up-to-date information.

The number is 1-800-427-4661 for people who need information about the NFIP or want to request loss histories on their properties. Policyholders with questions or concerns about their claims may also speak with NFIP specialists.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Fourth graders at West Hanover Elementary School kicked off the 30-day countdown to Hurricane Season 2013 on May 2 with a special severe weather preparedness program at the school. During the event, representatives of the Dauphin County Emergency Management Agency, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) presented preparedness information.

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TRENTON, N.J.—Wednesday, May 1 was the last day to register for FEMA disaster assistance.While registration has closed, FEMA remains active in helping New Jersey recover from Superstorm Sandy.

FEMA is available to help survivors, local governments, volunteer agencies and other interested parties continue the state’s recovery.

Applicants can stay in touch with FEMA through the Helpline, online at DisasterAssistance.gov, or at m.fema.gov on a smartphone or other web-enabled mobile devices.

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WASHINGTON — Images from Landsat satellites provided free to the public by the Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey were the starting points for "a new breakthrough" reported today by Time and announced on the Official Google Blog. Using its Earth Engine technology, Google has compiled decades of Landsat images into a new, interactive time-lapse experience.

"This news is the latest example of how the Department of the Interior's policy of unrestricted access and free distribution of Landsat satellite imagery to the public fosters innovation and mutual awareness of environmental conditions around the globe," said Anne Castle, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science. "The 40-year archive of Landsat images of every spot on earth is a treasure trove of scientific information that can form the basis for a myriad of useful applications by commercial enterprises, government scientists and managers, the academic community, and the public at large."

Other commercial products, such as ESRI's Change Matters, also utilize Landsat imagery, providing data for a deeper geographic understanding of the changing world.

Landsat data can assist a broad range of specialists in managing the world's food, water, forests, and other natural resources for a growing world population. The Landsat images contain many layers of data collected at different points along the visible and invisible light spectrum. Consequently, they can show where vegetation is thriving and where it is stressed, where droughts are occurring, where wildland fire is a danger, and where erosion has altered coastlines or river courses.

Landsat satellites provide a view as broad as 12,000 square miles per scene while describing land cover in pixels the size of a baseball diamond. From a distance of more than 400 miles above the earth surface, a single Landsat scene can record the condition of hundreds of thousands of acres of grassland, agricultural crops, or forests.

"With its long-term historical record of the entire globe and widely recognized high quality of data, Landsat is valued all over the world as the gold standard of land observation," said Castle.

Ready access to authoritative Landsat images provides a reliable common record of Earth conditions that advances the mutual understanding of environmental challenges by citizens, researchers, and decision makers around the globe.

USGS and NASA have distinct roles in the Landsat program. NASA develops remote-sensing instruments and spacecraft, launches satellites, and validates their performance. The USGS then assumes ownership and operation. For example, USGS will operate the newest satellite in the Landsat series – Landsat 8 – starting on May 30, 2013, following a successful launch from the Vandenberg AFB on February 11, 2013.

For More Information

• See the USGS website for more information on Landsat and to view the entire image gallery
• See today's Google Blog to learn about Google's announcement, the Google Earth Engine and how to explore the new global, zoomable time-lapse map as part of TIME Magazine's new TIMElapse project
• Read the Time Magazine article TIME and Space
• For another example of the application of Landsat imagery, go to ESRI's Change Matters
• Learn more about NASA and the Landsat Program 

Disclaimer: Any use of trade, firm or product names does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.  No warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the Department of the Interior or the U.S. Government as to the accuracy and functioning of the commercial software programs cited in this news release, and the U.S. Government shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the Landsat satellite imagery and data employing these software programs.

NEW YORK – People whose property was damaged or destroyed in Super Storm Sandy and are rebuilding can get advice from a FEMA specialist. Hazard Mitigation specialists who are knowledgeable in cleanup and building safer and smarter to avoid future losses will be dispensing guidance free of charge, compliments of FEMA.

FEMA will staff tables at Home Depot stores in Suffolk County at 10 Gateway Blvd, Patchogue; and in Richmond County at 545 Targee St, Staten Island; and at a Lowe’s in Nassau County at 253-01 Rockaway Blvd, Rosedale.

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Members to Provide Guidance on Adaptation Science Initiatives

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today announced the members of a newly created federal advisory committee who will provide guidance about the Interior Department's climate change adaptation science initiatives.

Oakland, Calif.—Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IX Office is pleased to announce that four of the 30 recipients selected to receive funding under the FEMA 2012 Community Resilience Innovation Challenge program reside in California, Hawaii and American Samoa, all within the Region IX area of responsibility.

Recipients of the award include:

Special Needs Population and Home Bound Patients Registry

American Samoa Department of Health – Pago Pago, American Samoa

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