60 Counties Up For Federal Relief For Blizzard Costs

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The U.S. government has declared 60 Illinois counties federal disaster areas after the blizzard last month.

Cook County and all the collar counties are among those declared disaster areas.

The blizzard on Feb. 1 and 2 dumped 21.2 inches of snow on Chicago – the third largest snow total in history.

Now, local governments will be reimbursed for 75 percent of most storm-related damage.

Chicago City Budget Director Eugene L. Munin estimated earlier this month that emergency spending between Feb. 1 – when the snow started falling – and Feb. 9 – one week after the blizzard ended – totaled $37.3 million.

That figure includes spending by the city, the Chicago Transit Authority, the Chicago Public Schools, the City Colleges of Chicago and the Chicago Park District.

In:
• Blizzard