DISASTER AID FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES IS URGED

Three Cape Girardeau County state legislators Wednesday called on Gov. Mel Carnahan to immediately request the president to provide disaster assistance to public entities in Cape Girardeau, Perry and Scott counties.

Many counties in Missouri have already been declared disaster areas; however, most of those declarations have been for private property.

Sen. Peter Kinder and Reps. Mary Kasten and David Schwab made the request for a declaration for public assistance in a letter to the governor. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already announced public disaster assistance for 13 Missouri counties. Ste. Genevieve County is the only Southeast Missouri county to have this designation so far.

Kinder explained that this designation will allow governmental entities in the counties to apply for federal disaster aid. He noted that "many levee districts are spending money they don't have."

The letter from the legislators points out: "Record high crests along the Mississippi and breaks along various levees have caused damage and disaster that continue to threaten the economy of Southeast Missouri. It is imperative that President Clinton realize the severity of the flood in all parts of Missouri ... and assure the people of Southeast Missouri that they will be able to apply for funds under the public assistance declaration."

Under the declaration, local government entities and levee districts would be eligible to apply for federal assistance to help restore roads, bridges and other public facilities.

Said Kinder: "The damage faced in these three counties is severe. The state must take advantage of all resources available and ask the federal government to extend the public assistance declaration for Cape, Perry and Scott counties."