President Barack Obama has issued a major

disaster declaration for Kansas to help cover costs from a powerful

winter storm in late March.

The declaration makes federal funding available to state and

local governments and some nonprofit groups for emergency work and

facilities repair. Those counties getting help include Butler,

Chase, Chautauqua, Coffey, Cowley, Dickinson, Elk, Grant,

Greenwood, Harvey, Lyon, Marion, Sumner and Woodson.

Help is also available for snow removal and other emergency

costs incurred in 19 counties. They are: Barber, Barton, Clark,

Comanche, Edwards, Grant, Haskell, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa,

McPherson, Meade, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Seward, Stafford, Stanton and

Stevens.

Federal money is also available statewide on a cost-sharing

basis for hazard mitigation measures.