Bowling Green Today

On May 6, 2024, Kentucky's federal delegation, comprising U.S. Senator Rand Paul, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and Representatives Hal Rogers (KY-05), Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Andy Barr (KY-06), James Comer (KY-01), and Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) expressed their support for Governor Andy Beshear’s request for a major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This follows severe weather conditions experienced in April.

The adverse weather included severe wind, thunderstorms, mudslides, flooding and over a dozen tornadoes that swept through Kentucky. At the peak of the storm's impact, more than 32,000 customers were left without power. The storm also resulted in injuries to twenty-two Kentuckians and claimed one life.

In their letter to President Joe Biden, the delegation noted that "Kentucky has faced a number of Major Disasters in recent years. As you know from your previous visits, in just the past four years, Kentucky has been devastated by some of the worst tornadoes and floods in state history. Kentucky has received eight Major Disaster Declarations since 2020, not including COVID-19. Further, some counties included in the Governor’s request have been included in as many as six Major Disaster Declarations."

Governor Beshear recently requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration which would provide access to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance for future disaster mitigation efforts statewide and for individual citizens in eleven counties: Boyd, Carter, Fayette, Greenup, Henry, Jefferson, Jessamine, Mason, Oldham, Union and Whitley Counties.

The full letter from the Kentucky delegation can be accessed [here](#).