Marion County is among 19 Iowa counties that have been declared Presidential Disaster Areas due to severe weather that occurred in the last half of April. This means federal funding will be provided to those counties under the Public Assistance Program. Those funds may be used for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities and may include debris removal, emergency protective measures, repair of damaged public property, loans needed by communities for essential government functions and grants for public schools. Funds will also be provided to minimize the impact of future natural disasters by taking steps now to strengthen existing infrastructure.