Capitol Notebook: Reynolds waives fees, suspends regulations for Iowa flood victims

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued disaster proclamations for more counties in response to severe storms and flooding, and extended existing proclamations related to the outbreak of bird flu in the state.

Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation Wednesday for Harrison, Johnson, Mills and Pottawattamie counties in response to severe storms and flash flooding.

The proclamation allows state resources to be used to respond to and recover from the ongoing effects of the severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and Disaster Case Advocacy Program for residents in Carroll, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Harrison and O'Brien counties.

The state Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty line for expenses incurred by the storms. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement. Applicants have 45 days to submit a claim, and can apply at homelandsecurity.iowa.gov.

For information on the Disaster Case Advocacy Program, contact your local community action agency or visit iowacommunityaction.org.

Reynolds also temporarily suspended some state regulations in 27 counties in response to widespread flooding in Iowa.

The proclamation temporarily suspends a five-day waiting period to replace an official copy of an ownership title to a vehicle for flood victims. It also waives fees for getting a driver’s license, new license plates for a vehicle or copies of birth certificates to replace those lost or damaged by flooding. Reynolds also temporarily suspends regulations on the procurement of goods and services, hours of service for disaster repair crews, and various requirements for the transportation of loads related to disaster repairs, among other provisions.

The governor’s proclamation covers the following counties: Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Floyd, Fremont, Harrison, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Lyon, Mills, Monona, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Pottawattamie, Sioux, Webster, Winnebago, Woodbury, Worth and Wright.

New counties added to federal declaration from May storms

Twenty-eight additional counties were approved for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance program in response to storms that occurred in May, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Thursday.

As Western Iowa deals now with record levels of flooding and property damage, residents in other parts of the state still are recovering from tornadoes and severe thunderstorms that hit the state between May 20 and 31.

The approval makes government agencies and some nonprofits in the 28 new counties eligible for federal grants to assist in cleanup and recovery. Adair County was approved for public assistance in May.

The Public Assistance program is now available in the following counties under the Presidential Disaster Declaration: Adams, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Cedar, Cherokee, Clay, Dallas, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Humboldt, Jasper, Iowa, Jackson, Kossuth, Marshall, Mitchell, Montgomery, Muscatine, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Shelby, Story, Tama and Wright.

Nine northwest Iowa counties were approved for the Public Assistance program under a Presidential Disaster Declaration as a result of the recent flooding, and five of those also are eligible for the Individual Assistance program.

Reynolds extends bird flu proclamation

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As more cases of the bird flu affecting dairy cows were confirmed, the governor extended a disaster proclamation for three Western Iowa counties with confirmed positive cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The proclamation allows resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring the outbreak of bird flu in Sioux, Cherokee and Sac counties, including rapid detection, containment, disposal and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites.

The recent confirmed cases of bird flu in poultry do not present an immediate public health concern, according to state officials. It remains safe to eat poultry products.

Iowa agriculture officials announced Thursday two more cases of the bird flu confirmed in dairy cows — bringing to 13 the number of herds in Iowa affected. The newly confirmed cases are in Sioux County herds, as have been nine of the cases before.

State offers support for Perry plant workers

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Iowa Workforce Development is expanding programs to find employment for the hundreds of workers in Perry who are losing their jobs when the Tyson Foods plant closes there Friday.

Starting Monday, the state jobs agency will have support staff at the Des Moines Area Community College VanKirk Center in Perry. The staff will help unemployed workers with unemployment assistance, resume and career support and other job-related services, the agency said.

The program will run from Monday to Wednesday, and again from July 9 to July 11. After that, Iowa Workforce Development will evaluate needs and provide a new schedule, the department said.

Tyson Foods announced in March the plant would close, impacting more than 1,000 workers at the city’s largest employer. Since the announcement, Iowa Workforce Development has sent the state’s Mobile Workforce Center to Perry, held job fairs and set up a transition center at the plant.

“Iowa Workforce Development remains committed to helping every impacted Tyson worker find a new path forward,” said agency Executive Director Beth Townsend. “While this is a challenging time, it is also an opportunity to explore new careers. Maintaining our efforts and presence in the Perry area will help make connections between a skilled workforce and Iowa employers with workforce needs.”