Gov. Pritzker Seeks Disaster Declaration from Small Business Administration in Wake of McLean County Storms

SPRINGFIELD - Governor JB Pritzker today submitted a request to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) seeking a disaster declaration to provide financial assistance to residents and businesses in McLean County in the wake of severe storms and flash flooding that occurred June 25-27.  If approved, the SBA declaration would allow eligible residents and businesses in McLean County, and its contiguous counties, to apply for low-interest, long-term loans.
 
"Protecting the health and safety of every resident in Illinois is a top priority for my administration and this disaster declaration opens the door to much needed funding for McLean County residents and businesses to rebuild," said Governor JB Pritzker. "This funding from the federal government will allow the State to provide the full scale of support and tools needed to support the community as they recover from recent storms."
 
The National Weather Service determined that a slow-moving frontal system, and a series of weather disturbances moving along with it, resulted in two periods of heavy rain in McLean County between Friday, June 25 and Sunday, June 27.  Total rainfall amounts for the 24-hour period ranged from 6-10 inches.
 
During the week of July 20, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) worked with the local jurisdictions to complete a joint damage assessment of the affected area.  Most of the damage assessed during the survey came in the towns of Downs, Bloomington, Heyworth and Normal.  While the damage did not meet the threshold for a federal disaster declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the State believes the threshold has been met for the SBA.  To be eligible for an SBA declaration, at least 25 homes and/or businesses in a county must sustain major, uninsured losses of 40 percent or more. 
 
The State of Illinois recently partnered with McLean County to host a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) in Bloomington. More than 100 people visited this one-stop-shop resource center seeking assistance from state and local officials.  Individuals still in need of assistance can visit Ready.Illinois.gov or call their local emergency management office.