President declares a major disaster for Louisiana

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to Louisiana and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by flooding during the period of April 25 to July 7, 2011.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the flooding in the parishes of Assumption, Avoyelles, Concordia, East Carroll, Lafourche, Madison, Point Coupee, St. Charles, St. James, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Tensas, Terrebonne, and West Feliciana.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Gerard M. Stolar has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  Stolar said that additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.