Gov. Blunt Forms State-Federal Flood Recovery Steering Committee

Gov. Matt Blunt has formed a State-Federal Flood Recovery Steering Committee to provide post flooding disaster relief and recovery assistance to Missourians, businesses, and communities. Specifically, Gov. Blunt invited State, Federal and non-governmental voluntary disaster response organizations to participate on the flood recovery committee.

"I have tasked this committee to aggressively and creatively address my four flood recovery priorities. We must help our citizens, businesses, and communities recover from these devastating floods and this committee will play an important role in this effort," Gov. Blunt said.

Gov. Blunt's four flood recovery priorities are:

• Housing and Business Assistance
  
• Demolition and Debris Removal not covered by FEMA
  
• Local Match for Levee Repairs
  
• Voluntary Buyout and relocation

The Steering Committee will be co-chaired by Ronald M. Reynolds, the director of the State Emergency Management Agency and Mike Karl, federal coordinating officer with the Federal Emergency Management Agency assigned to Missouri; Mark James, director of the Department of Public Safety; and Adam Gresham of the Governor's Office. The Steering Committee will issue a formal report to the governor.

Mike Woolbright, Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions, and Professional Registration, and Sallie Hemenway, Missouri Department of Economic Development will chair the Housing and Business committee. Jeff Staake, Missouri Department of Natural Resources will chair the Demolition and Debris Removal not covered by FEMA committee. Don Steen, Missouri Department of Agriculture will chair the Local Match for Levee Repairs. Sheila Huddleston, State Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Officer will chair the Buyout and Relocation committee.

All Missouri State Agencies will take part in the steering committee. Federal Agency steering committee participants include: Small Business Administration, U.S. Department of Housing, U.S. Department of Agriculture (Farm Services, Rural Development, and Natural Resource Conservation Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Economic Development Agency, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Health and Human Services, National Community Service Commission, U.S. Department of Transportation. Nonn-governmental Disaster Organizations include the American Red Cross, the Missouri Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (MoVOAD), and the Governor's Partnership for Disaster Recovery.