BATON ROUGE, La. — BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Gov. John Bel Edwards is asking the Trump administration to issue a federal disaster declaration for Louisiana because of Mississippi River flooding.
The Democratic governor's office said Friday it sent a letter to FEMA seeking the designation that would give state and local agencies access to federal money to cover flood-related costs.
Edwards wrote that local levee districts and parishes, with state assistance, spent significantly for extra levees patrols and temporary repairs.
Louisiana is asking for federal hazard mitigation assistance statewide.
The state also is requesting federal aid to help cover debris removal, infrastructure repair and other emergency protective measures for 13 parishes impacted by the high river levels.
Those parishes are: Assumption, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Franklin, Iberville, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, St. Martin, Terrebonne, and West Feliciana.
