Oregon is getting some federal aid to help pay for damages sustained during a series of strong winter storms. The severe weather included strong winds and heavy rains that triggered flooding and mudslides over the course of two weeks last December.
Two people were killed in the storms. Nearly 900 homes were damaged, according to a Major Disaster Declaration that President Obama signed in February. The declaration included 14 counties in western Oregon.
During the same month, severe winter storms also triggered federal disaster declarations for parts of Washington and Idaho.
The $2 million in newly announced grants will be divided among more than 400 eligible projects., primarily to fix publicly-owned streets and storm drains. The Oregon Office of Emergency Managementsaid it expects more disaster grants to be awarded as state and local agencies continue to tally up the cost of damage from last winter's storms.