Arkansas Delegation Supports Governor’s Request for Increase in Federal Cost Share for May Storm Damage

Washington, DC—Congressmen Steve Womack, Rick Crawford, French Hill and Bruce Westerman—along with U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton—wrote to President Joe Biden urging him to support Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ request for a 30-day, 100 percent federal cost share for counties affected by severe storms, flooding and tornadoes in May.

The members wrote, “Local officials of impacted jurisdictions have stated that significantly more resources and assistance is needed in order to restore these communities than preliminary damage assessments reported. Increasing the federal cost share to 100 percent from 75 percent will relieve the financial burden of recovery for these struggling communities and help them rebuild.”

The letter can be found here and below:

Dear Mr. President:

Thank you for the expedited Major Disaster Declaration in the wake of the devastating tornadoes and severe storms that caused widespread destruction and extensive damage in Arkansas. The State of Arkansas greatly appreciates your assistance and support to date.

On behalf of the State of Arkansas, we are writing to support Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ request to increase the federal cost share for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Categories A (Debris) and B (Emergency Protective Measures) up to 100 percent for the first thirty days. We firmly believe that an increase in the federal cost share is needed to effectively respond to a disaster of this magnitude.

The severity of the storms that occurred May 24-27, 2024, created disastrous amounts of debris, severe infrastructure damage, and resulted in the deaths of at least nine Arkansans and injured countless others. Local officials of impacted jurisdictions have stated that significantly more resources and assistance is needed in order to restore these communities than preliminary damage assessments reported. Increasing the federal cost share to 100 percent from 75 percent will relieve the financial burden of recovery for these struggling communities and help them rebuild. 

As you know, Governor Sanders has activated all emergency resources, and the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management has coordinated with all appropriate state and federal agencies. While we are grateful for the support provided by our local first responders, county and state emergency management agencies, FEMA, and the White House, additional federal assistance will be vital in our restoration efforts. 

The entire Arkansas delegation respectfully requests your swift consideration and approval of this request to ensure Arkansans’ safety and recovery efforts. Thank you for your support. If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Report: Signs of recovery emerge in freight industry

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

The freight industry is cautiously optimistic this year following a challenging 2023, according to a new report. Still, some industry metrics are signaling the beginnings of a recovery amid a lingering freight recession.

FreightWaves and Trimble recently released the Q1 2024 Carrier Rate Report that highlighted existing market conditions and expectations for the year.

“This new phase is characterized by a market gradually regaining its footing, underscored by positive developments in rate dynamics and broader economic factors,” the report shows. “A critical development in the current landscape is the closing gap between dry van truckload spot and contract rates, to a level of balance not observed since the last holiday season. This trend confirms the progress made toward supply and demand equilibrium.”

Report: Signs of recovery emerge in freight industry

Ice storm recovery: Assess the damage safely

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK —  Even though the ice storm has passed, some of its dangers haven’t.

Some parts of Arkansas received three rounds of wintry weather this week. The National Weather Service at Little Rock said parts of the north Arkansas received 1 to 2 inches of sleet. Across the central part of the state,  from Oklahoma to the Mississipppi River, freezing rain dropped more than a quarter inch of ice.

Wintry precipitation plagued the southern half of the state Wednesday into Thursday. Some 72,000 people across southern Arkansas were without power on Thursday.

The ice and sleet weighed heavily on trees, arching pines and in some cases, breaking trees. Adding to the danger is saturated soil from melting ice,  making it easier for top-heavy trees to fall.

DOWNED — Tree made top-heavy by ice tumbled into the side of a house in Pulaski County. The tree was uprooted as soils became saturated. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

Sounds like an artillery range
Bear State Tales podcaster Matt Manos of Star City described the “steady rumble of tree and large limbs falling south side of Lincoln County” in his @PJMountexplorer Twitter account. With an image of an ice-covered tree falling across a road, he said “’we have moved to the 'sounds like an artillery range’ portion of the ice storm in Lincoln County.” His video snippet of a large falling limb makes the point.

What next?
As the weather clears, homeowners and landowners will be out assessing their properties for potential damage.

First, “stay away from power lines,” said Vic Ford, a forester who heads extension’s agriculture and natural resources for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “Report them to the local utility and let the professionals take care of them.”

The next step is to “do a hazard assessment for damaged trees,” said Kyle Cunningham, extension forester for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “What targets are in the path if a tree or limb falls? Injured trees that pose high threats to humans or structures should be dealt with first.

“If the threat to nearby targets is not as significant, removal of those stems can be completed at a more convenient time,” Cunningham said. “Tree removal should include professional assistance, preferably from a certified arborist.”

Cunningham said property owners also need to “evaluate how severe the injury to the tree is.”

“Should I remove the injured portion of the tree or the entire tree? The answer to this question is best answered by an arborist,” he said. “Some rules-of-thumb are that if you can remove less than one-quarter of the tree crown, limb removal will likely not significantly impact tree health. If you must remove greater than one-quarter of the tree crown, risk to tree health, vigor and structural soundness may become questionable.”

What about the bent trees?

“Small trees may appear to permanently bent but research has shown that small trees have an amazing ability to straighten in a few months,” Ford said.

Ford said broken branches should be evaluated when it is safe to examine them. 

“Cutting the broken branches if still attached and trimming up the stub may ensure tree health for the future,” he said.

“The time to remove branches that may cause damage is not during the storm, but way before any storm hits,” Ford said. “Examine the large branches and remove them if they can damage property if they fall. Dead branches should always be removed. A licensed arborist is the best bet to determine proper care of large trees.”

The Cooperative Extension Service has a page dedicated to disaster recovery, including dealing with trees.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.