ALLENSTOWN - Gov. John Lynch today formally requested President Bush declare New Hampshire suffered a major disaster as a result of the severe flooding caused by this week's storm. Gov. Lynch presented the request to Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator R. David Paulison as they inspected damage to homes in Allenstown.

Gov. Lynch requested the President declare a disaster in all 10 New Hampshire counties.

"Many communities are reporting damage that exceeds their experience from the record floods of May 2006. Rivers and streams across New Hampshire exceeded flood stage levels, forcing many residents to evacuate and businesses to close. The impact to residents and the business community has been extensive. Phone and electric service has been cut off to ten of thousands of customers over the course of the week. Many schools and daycare centers were closed at the height of the flooding event, and some remained closed for several days," Gov. Lynch wrote President Bush.

"Preliminary and partial damage assessments compiled by local communities and the State already exceed $36 million - well in excess of the threshold needed for Public Assistance," Gov. Lynch wrote.

FEMA offers two primary types of assistance, public assistance - which helps the state and communities cover emergency operations and repair costs; and individual assistance - which provides some emergency assistance to individuals, such as for temporary housing, and will cover some - but not usually all - costs of the damage. Gov. Lynch is also asking that hazard mitigation assistance and assistance from the Small Business Administration be made available to New Hampshire citizens, businesses and communities.

At Gov. Lynch's request, teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency began a preliminary assessment of the damage in New Hampshire yesterday.

A copy of Gov. Lynch's letter to President Bush is attached.

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April 20, 2007

The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Through: R. David Paulison, FEMA Administrator
Arthur Cleaves, Regional Director
FEMA, Region I
99 High Street
Boston, MA 02110-2132

Dear Mr. President:

Under the provisions of Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.36, I respectfully request that you declare a major disaster for the State of New Hampshire as soon as possible. Severe rain, beginning on April 15, 2007 and continuing through April 19, 2007 has caused extensive flooding and damage to homes, business and public infrastructure. This request is for all ten New Hampshire counties: Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford and Sullivan.

In response to the situation, I took appropriate action under State law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Operations Plan on April 15, 2007, in accordance with Section 401 of the Stafford Act. On April 16, 2007, I declared a State of Emergency in New Hampshire, placing the full resources of the State at the disposal of the Department of Safety, Homeland Security and Emergency Management to respond effectively to this disaster.

Many communities are reporting damage that exceeds their experience from the record floods of May 2006. Rivers and streams across New Hampshire exceeded flood stage levels, forcing many residents to evacuate and businesses to close. The impact to residents and the business community has been extensive. Phone and electric service has been cut off to ten of thousands of customers over the course of the week. Many schools and daycare centers were closed at the height of the flooding event, and some remained closed for several days.

On April 17, 2006, I requested that FEMA conduct a preliminary damage assessment of the affected areas. FEMA's preliminary damage assessment for Public and Individual Assistance is ongoing.

Preliminary and partial damage assessments compiled by local communities and the State already exceed $36 million - well in excess of the threshold needed for Public Assistance.

I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of New Hampshire and the affected local governments and that supplemental Federal assistance is necessary. I am specifically requesting Public Assistance and Individual Assistance, including the Individuals and Household Program (IHP), Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Crisis Counseling, and Small Business Administration Program assistance be designated for all ten New Hampshire Counties. I am also requesting that the Hazard Mitigation Program be designated statewide.

I request that you expedite the declaration of a Federal Disaster area so that the above assistance programs will be available to meet the essential needs of the residents and businesses in the affected areas.

The State of New Hampshire has an approved standard Hazard Mitigation Plan, dated October 24, 2004. The Plan has identified flooding as the highest risk hazard and has prioritized projects to lessen the effects of flooding statewide. The State participates in the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program. In addition, local Hazard Mitigation plans identify flooding as a severe hazard and also prioritize projects to minimize the effects of flooding.

The following actions have already been taken at the State and local levels to alleviate the conditions of this disaster:

* Upon activation of the State's Emergency Operations Plan, I instructed the Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to staff the State Emergency Operations Center as necessary on April 15, 2007. The Director activated Emergency Support Functions as necessary to respond to the flooding event. The Emergency Operations Center has remained opened on a 24-hour basis since.

* I activated the National Guard and deployed units to affected communities beginning on Monday, April 16, 2007. Those missions included assistance in evacuation, security, sandbagging, security checkpoints, and communications.

* The State's Dam Bureau was activated, reporting to the State Emergency Operations Center, ESF-5, Information & Planning. This was a 24-hour operation to provide information on dam conditions and river flows.

* At the height of the storm, Department of Transportation road crews were out repairing the extensive damage to hundreds of roads, and providing critical technical support to local public works crews.

* The American Red Cross and other volunteer agencies were activated on Sunday, April 15, 2007, providing assistance and sheltering to families throughout the affected regions.

I certify that for this major disaster, the State and local governments will assume all applicable non-Federal share of costs required by the Stafford Act.

In accordance with 44 CFR Section 206.208, the State of New Hampshire agrees it will, with respect to direct Federal assistance:

1) Provide without cost to the United States all lands, easements and rights-of-way necessary to accomplish the approved work;

2) Hold and save the United States free from damages due to the requested work, and shall indemnify the Federal Government against any claims arising from such work;

3) Provide reimbursement to FEMA for the non-Federal share of the cost of such work in accordance with the provisions of the FEMA-State Agreement; and

4) Assist the performing Federal agency in all support and local jurisdictional matters.

In addition, I anticipate the need for debris removal, which poses an immediate threat to lives, public health, and safety. Pursuant to Sections 403 and 407 of the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5170b & 5173, the State agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the United States of America for any claims arising from the removal of debris or wreckage for this disaster. The State agrees that debris removal from public and private property will not occur until the landowner signs an unconditional authorization for the removal of debris.

I have designated Michael J. Poirier as the State Coordinating Officer for this request. He will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in damage assessments and may provide further information or justification on my behalf.

Sincerely,

John H. Lynch
Governor