Kehoe seeks SBA assistance for April 29 storms

Gov. Mike Kehoe is seeking additional federal assistance for the April 29 storms that hit the Springfield area.

Kehoe announced in a news release that he has requested a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster declaration that would allow low-interest SBA disaster loans to be issued in Greene, Lawrence, and Newton counties. Those counties were hit by heavy storms and tornadoes on April 29.

Additionally, Kehoe is requesting a federal major disaster declaration that would provide assistance in Dade, Douglas, Ozark, Vernon and Webster counties for storms that occurred May 23-26.

"The State Emergency Management Agency and local partners worked in close coordination with FEMA and the Small Business Administration and once again documented large amounts of costly damage and response expenditures that meet thresholds for federal assistance to these impacted areas,” Kehoe said in the release.

Kehoe pointed to preliminary damage assessments for the April 29 storms conducted by the SBA, SEMA and local officials that show at least 80 homes and five businesses in Greene, Lawrence and Newton counties sustained major damage and uninsured losses of more than 40%.

President Donald Trump earlier this month gave the OK for federal assistance to be made available in Barry, Greene, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton and Washington counties via the FEMA public assistance program, according to a separate news release.