FEMA funding for disaster mitigation awarded to co-ops

Congressman Dave Loebsack has announced a total of $23,492,632 in Federal Emergency Management Agency funding from the Hazard Mitigation Program for three electrical cooperatives across eastern and southern Iowa.

The funds will be used to help strengthen Iowa?s rural electrical supply. FEMA?s Hazard Mitigation Program is designed to help reduce the impact of future disasters.

TIP Rural Electric Cooperative has been awarded $3,994,407 to retrofit 64.75 miles of electrical distribution lines in all or part of Tama, Benton, Linn, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Mahaska, Keokuk, Washington, Wapello and Jefferson counties.

?As winter approaches, it is important that rural Iowans have a reliable electrical supply,? Loebsack said. ?By strengthening the distribution lines before a storm or natural disaster we will help safeguard our communities.?