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Gov. Edwards seeks more disaster relief for Louisiana after Barry

John Bel Edwards said he is optimistic that President Donald Trump and FEMA will understand why the request is necessary.

Credit: AP

FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018 file photo, Gov. John Bel Edwards talks about an expected $300 million-plus surplus Louisiana will have from the last budget year in Baton Rouge, La. Nearly three decades ago, when Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ wife was 20 weeks pregnant with their first child, a doctor discovered their daughter had spina bifida and encouraged an abortion. The Edwardses refused. Edwards, who has repeatedly bucked national party leaders on abortion rights, is about to do it again. He’s ready to sign legislation that would ban the procedure as early as six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant, when the bill reaches his desk. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte, File)

BATON ROUGE, La. — Gov. John Bel Edwards says he's asked President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster for Louisiana after Hurricane Barry.

Barry made landfall last month.

In a letter Thursday, Edwards says the new declaration would provide assistance for activities involved in "protection of life and property, removal of debris and the repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities."

Edwards says the process for requesting such a declaration requires a more detailed assessment of impacts and costs incurred in all of the parishes included than the emergency declaration issued by Trump during the event.

The request would affect: Allen, Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberia, Jefferson, Orleans, Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion and West Feliciana parishes.

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