33 Wash. Counties Declared Disaster

OLYMPIA, WA — Thirty-three Washington counties have been declared a federal disaster area due to severe winter weather.

The declaration issued Monday by President Barack Obama was in response to public facility damage and emergency response costs from the storm that affected the area from Dec. 12 through Jan. 5.

The declaration authorizes Federal Emergency Management Agency grants that can defray 75 percent of the eligible damages to state and local agencies, Indian tribal governments and some private nonprofit organizations.

The counties covered are: Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Franklin, Kittitas, Pierce, Whitman, Yakima, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Garfield, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla and Whatcom.