Senator Marshall Leads Letter for Federal Disaster Aid for Kansas Communities

Washington – Following severe storms and straight-line winds that caused significant damage across Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D., Jerry Moran, Congressman Derek Schmidt, and Congresswoman Sharice Davids have urged President Trump to approve the state’s request for a major disaster declaration. This federal support is critical in ensuring communities have the resources needed to repair and rebuild essential public infrastructure. In their letter, the Members of Congress wrote: “This devastating weather event tore through a dense urban area, damaging hundreds of homes and businesses and pushing the local utility system to the brink. Winds of up to 80 mph snapped utility poles, tore down miles of electric wire, and damaged transformers across Wyandotte County. “The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU) called it the largest and most destructive storm in its history, with about 27,000 Kansans losing power… These damages have placed significant financial strain on local government as it works to recover. Damage assessments conducted jointly by the state and FEMA have determined that Kansas is eligible for approximately $5.5 million in federal assistance.” If approved, the following county would be eligible for federal assistance: Wyandotte. Upon approval, local governments and public utility providers would be eligible to submit storm-related expenses to FEMA for reimbursement. Click here to read the full text of the letter. ### Contact: Payton Fuller