Arkansas governor seeks extension of 100% federal coverage of tornado cleanup costs

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Friday asked President Joe Biden to extend the federal government’s coverage of 100% of debris cleanup and disaster mitigation costs stemming from the March 31 tornadoes that hit Arkansas.

Arkansas’ congressional delegation supported Sanders’ request in a separate letter.

Biden previously authorized a 30-day “cost share” for local and state cleanup and emergency protective measures for Pulaski, Lonoke and Cross counties. That period is nearing its end, Sanders said in a press release, but the affected communities continue to face significant costs.

The estimated total cleanup costs in all three counties is nearly $25 million and nearly $16 million for emergency protective measures, according to the congressional delegation’s letter to the president.

One tornado struck a heavily populated area of west Little Rock then moved into the city of North Little Rock and on into Lonoke County, displacing thousands of people and destroying apartment complexes, shopping centers and single-family subdivisions. The other storm tore through the middle of Wynne in Cross County, destroying its wastewater treatment plant and severely damaging its high school.

The storms killed five people — one in North Little Rock and four in Wynne.

“I’m thankful for the federal government’s prior approval of my 100 percent cost share request, but as that program’s initial thirty days come to an end, Arkansans are still struggling,” Sanders said.

In their letter to Biden, Republican Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton and Reps. Rick Crawford, French Hill, Steve Womack and Bruce Westerman echoed Sanders’ appreciation for the president’s swift response on the initial 100% cost reimbursement request and expressed hope for a similar response to the latest ask.

The delegation said the estimated total cleanup costs for local and state government is $24,817,600 and the estimated total for emergency protective measures is $15,635,000. The combined figures make up 56.5% of total estimated damage costs from the two storms, they wrote.

“In Wynne alone, the two categories are estimated at $21,700,000. The City of Wynne continues to face immense challenges in its recovery and restoration efforts, due to the costs associated with the devastation of the Wynne High School,” they said.