SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday issued a state disaster proclamation for eleven counties ravaged by severe weather this spring and early summer.
The proclamation covers Kankakee, McLean, Stephenson and Winnebago counties for severe weather events that took place in March and April; and Coles, Cook, Effingham, Jefferson, LaSalle, Warren and Woodford counties for storm events over the past month.
It comes amid a record stretch of severe weather in the Land of Lincoln. Midway through the year, the National Weather Service has already confirmed 173 tornadoes in Illinois, the most recorded in a single year. Several communities have also sustained damage from flooding, hail and straight-line winds.
“Illinois has faced unprecedented severe weather this year, and I remain committed to supporting every community, business, and family as they rebuild,” Pritzker said in a statement. “As communities recover, we remember the lives that were lost and hold their families and loved ones in our thoughts during this difficult time.”
Pritzker is scheduled to visit Effingham and Jefferson counties on Wednesday. An EF-3 tornado ripped through the area on June 17, injuring two people and damaging dozens of structures. He surveyed damage in Coles County earlier this month after an EF-2 tornado hit. The governor also visited Kankakee County in March days after an EF-3 tornado tore through and killed three people.
The proclamation frees up additional state resources and personnel for response and recovery operations and can facilitate requests for state and federal disaster relief.
Federal resources
Communities in impacted counties, for example, can now apply for up to $250,000 through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Response program to assist with cleanup, debris removal and public infrastructure repairs.
Pritzker said last week that he expects the state to seek additional federal assistance for the June tornadoes, either through the Federal Emergency Management Agency or Small Business Administration, though state officials are still working with local officials to assess damage and determine whether it meets eligibility for federal assistance programs.
State and federal agencies completed their damage assessments in Kankakee on March 30, but the state did not ultimately seek FEMA assistance, though the SBA did approve low-interest emergency loans for small businesses with uninsured damage.
Pritzker told reporters in Chicago last week that applying for a federal disaster declaration “doesn't help if there's no way that that damage estimate will get anywhere near the number” necessary to qualify.
The governor was critical of the Trump administration for cutting back funding for disaster relief and seemingly denying it for “political reasons.” A Politico analysis found Democrat-led states saw just 23% of their disaster requests granted in the first year of Trump’s second term, compared to 89% for their Republican counterparts.
“They've raised the thresholds for getting support; they've made it harder for communities to get support,” Pritzker said. “It's quite disappointing, and I continue to be an advocate for maintaining the FEMA funds that were available prior, because unfortunately, climate change... has now brought more disasters on a more frequent basis.”
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