US Department of Labor provides grant supplement to assist Missouri with continuing recovery efforts following 2011 floods

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $641,042 National Emergency Grant supplement to assist with continuing cleanup and recovery efforts in the wake of severe flooding that affected northwestern Missouri between June 1 and Aug. 1, 2011. Awarded to the Missouri Division of Workforce Development, the supplement will continue funding 141 temporary jobs for eligible dislocated workers in affected areas.

"Last summer's flooding in northwestern Missouri caused significant damage to public lands, and important recovery work remains," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "I'm pleased that this additional federal funding will assist in that task, while making possible the continued temporary employment of dislocated workers."

On Aug. 12, 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency declared 11 counties eligible for FEMA's Public Assistance Program. Today's funding will be used for recovery efforts that remain unfinished in seven of those counties: Buchannan, Carroll, Holt, Lafayette, Platte, Ray and Saline. More information on designated disaster areas in Missouri is available from FEMA at http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4012/affected-counties.

A National Emergency Grant of $2,283,567 was awarded Oct. 14, 2011, with $1,141,784 released initially. An increment of $1,141,783 awarded in August 2012 represented the balance of the original grant. This latest supplement brings the total funds awarded to date to $2,924,609.

National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information, visit http://www.doleta.gov/NEG/