WASHINGTON D.C. ? Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that $200,000 is coming to the City of Davenport to help prepare for energy emergencies and disruptions. These emergency preparedness plans, funded through the Department of Energy (DOE) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will provide the city with resources to quickly recover and restore power following any energy supply disruptions. Harkin worked to secure these funds through his role as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, which wrote the Recovery Act.
"It is important that our cities are able to recover from the aftermath of any kind of emergency," said Harkin. "This award will help make it possible for the City of Davenport to restore itself to working order and get back to business in the case of an energy emergency."
According to the DOE, these Local Energy Assurance Planning (LEAP) funds are being awarded across the country to allow local governments to hire and train staff and expand their capabilities to respond to a variety of energy emergencies, such as blackouts, hurricanes, floods, ice storms, or possible terrorist attacks. Each community will identify and assess energy supply disruption scenarios; train personnel on energy infrastructure and supply systems; and increase their knowledge of local energy interdependencies to reduce their response, restoration and recovery time. Additionally, the LEAP funding will facilitate information sharing and coordination between states, local jurisdictions, and industry, reducing duplication and decreasing the time required to recover and restore the energy infrastructure.
