LINCOLN- President Joe Biden has granted a major disaster declaration for the early April wintry storms that impacted eight counties in the Nebraska Panhandle. The Friday declaration has unlocked federal assistance to help with recovery from last month's storms, as requested by Gov. Jim Pillen in early May.

The counties that are to receive assistance include: Banner, Cheyenne, Dawes, Garden, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, and Sioux. "Some residents in the impacted areas were without electricity for up to a week," an early-May release from the Governor's Office stated, "Other storm impacts included closed highways, downed trees, and some damage to local buildings and equipment."

Andrew Meyer of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is to oversee the operations in western Nebraska. Meyer is also overseeing FEMA assistance in eastern Douglas and Washington Counties following the Arbor Day tornado outbreak, for which Biden also approved federal assistance and a disaster declaration.

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