30 Counties To Be Reimbursed For Snow Storm Costs

INDIANAPOLIS – More than a million dollars in federal grants will be awarded to 30 Indiana counties to help pay for damages, debris removal and other expenses caused by the January 5-9 storm.

“Dollars are beginning to flow to replenish local and state government,” Gov. Mike Pence said in a statement Wednesday.

“While it will take months for the federal accounting process to be complete and provide funds to the 30 counties that qualified for assistance, this year that started with a rough winter is looking a bit brighter today,” he said.

Currently, $1.13 million has been processed for reimbursement – and more money will be distributed as applications are processes by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Counties receiving money include Allen, Blackford, Boone, Clay, Clinton, Fulton, Hamilton, Hendricks, Huntington, Jasper, Johnson, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Lake, Marion, Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Noble, Owen, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Tipton, Vanderburgh, Vigo, Wabash, White and Whitley.

All counties – except Owen and Vanderburgh – will receive reimbursement for at least 48 hours of snow assistance. Noble and Whitley counties will receive 72 hours of snow assistance because they exceeded 150 percent of their record snowfalls.

The grants cover all eligible costs associated with snow removal for the 48-hour or 72-hour period with the highest costs.

Paige Clark is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.