On Monday evening, the Jindal administration released press statements concerning power outages, drinking water, good stamps, income tax extensions and unemployment benefits secondary to Hurricane Gustav.Here are the press statements, in full:
Power Outages, Drinking Water
Hurricane Gustav has caused widespread power outages and damage to drinking water systems throughout Louisiana.
If you live in an area under a boil advisory or you have lost water pressure at your tap, or if the water pressure is extremely low, State Health Officer Jimmy Guidry, MD, recommends that you disinfect your water by any one of the following methods prior to consumption (including drinking, cooking, brushing teeth or preparing food):
Boil water for one full minute in a clean container. The one-minute boil time begins after the water has been brought to a rolling boil. (The flat taste can be eliminated by shaking the water in a bottle or pouring it from one container to another.);
If the water is clear, mix 1/8 teaspoon of unscented, liquid chlorine laundry bleach with one gallon of water and let it stand for at least 30 minutes prior to consumption;
If the water is cloudy or colored, use 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water. Be sure to mix thoroughly.
If treated water has too strong a chlorine taste, it can be made more palatable by allowing the water to stand exposed to the air for a few hours or by pouring it from one clean container to another several times.
Boiling is the most effective method of disinfecting water, particularly for people who are severely immunocompromised (infected with HIV/AIDS, cancer and transplant patients taking immunosuppressive drugs, or anyone born with a weakened immune system) and for infants and the elderly who wish to take extra precautions.
People obtaining water from a public water system (a system providing water to 15 homes and businesses or more) must continue to disinfect their drinking water by one of the above listed methods until a public notice is issued by DHH that the water has been tested and is safe to drink. It may take as long as three weeks before a water system is declared safe.
People who have been affected by loss of water service may expect some irregularities with their water while efforts are being made to ensure that the water is safe. It is expected that water may have an unusual chlorine odor as well as possible sediments appearing in the water while these special precautions being taken. Flushing household taps for a few minutes should fix this problem.
Contact: OPH Safe Drinking Water Program, 225-342-7499.
(press release)
Food Stamps
The Department of Social Services released an updated list of the application sites where residents in 31 eligible parishes can go to apply for the emergency help.
The parishes declared eligible for Disaster Food Stamps are: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.
The Bossier, Caddo and Ouachita Office of Family Support locations are able to assist dislocated citizens from the above parishes.
For the latest information on the recovery from Hurricane Gustav, visit emergency.louisiana.gov or call the state's emergency hotline at 1-866-288-2484 to listen to a recorded message with the most up-to-date information.
(Press Release)
Tax Extensions
The Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) has granted extensions on the filing and payment deadlines for more than a dozen state taxes in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.
The extensions are available in the 36 parishes declared federal disaster areas by President Bush. They are: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Vernon, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana. If additional parishes are declared Gustav disaster areas by President Bush, they will receive the same relief.
The extensions are available for state excise, sales, and severance taxes with filing dates between Sept. 1, and Sept. 30, 2008. The disaster-related filing deadline is October15.
In order to claim the filing extension, write "Hurricane Gustav" in BLACK at the top of your return.
For more information about hurricane-related tax filing extensions, visit www.revenue.louisiana.gov.
(Press Release)
Unemployment Benefits
The Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) is adding an additional toll-free phone number for people who wish to file new claims for unemployment benefits. This number will be active beginning at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008.
Those filing new claims should call 1-800-957-1605. Operators at this number are not equipped to take continuing claims.
The best and easiest way for people wishing to continue their weekly benefits for previous claims is to call any of the Easy Call numbers or submit their requests via the Web at www.laworks.net. These are the best means for people to file for weekly benefits for their unemployment last week.
People who submitted continuing claims before the storm will be paid by Thursday or Friday. They do not need to call the LWC to check on the status of those claims. They will be processed automatically.
People who have issues with their claims should call the LWC's usual toll-free line, 1-866-783-5567, to have them resolved.
All people filing claims are urged to be patient. The current volume of calls is unprecedented. The LWC is taking steps to increase its call capacity 10-fold by the end of the day on Tuesday.
Agriculture
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain, D.V.M., met with more than 400 agricultural producers, landowners and agricultural lenders on Monday as part of a statewide listening tour on the concerns of the agribusiness community in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.
Strain spoke to about 300 producers in Oak Grove at the Thomas Lingo Community Center, and later to a group of 100 at Goldman Equipment in Mer Rouge.
For the past six days, Strain has been listening to the concerns of agribusiness interests relating to crop damages and flooded crops caused by Hurricane Gustav.
Strain advised all farmers to register with FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA) and sign up for crop insurance and the Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for non-insurable crops if they had not already done so.
"There are a lot of questions being posed ri! ght now concerning disaster assistance as a result of damages from Gustav and the 20 inches of rain the storm deposited in parts of Louisiana," Strain said. "The amount of government assistance and the timeline for relief is uncertain but producers must sign up for crop insurance at their local Farm Service Agency office if they are to become eligible to receive any sort of assistance."
Strain said the U.S. Congress did not pass the 2008 Farm Bill until after the crop insurance sign up period had expired, but allowances were made for the late passage to protect farmers.
"The farm bill makes provisions for producers who did not get 2008 crop insurance or NAP coverage to 'buy in' to the disaster assistance program," Strain said.
The buy-in fee is due no later than September 16, 2008.
"Those who miss this opportunity will not be eligible for disaster assistance," Strain said.
The cost for the buy-in is $100 per crop ! not to exceed $300 per producer, per parish or $900 per multiple paris h.
Strain also urged everyone to document their damages with photos and/or video and to keep all receipts for expenses caused by Hurricane Gustav.
"Our producers can't wait until the fall of 2009 before receiving some sort of financial assistance from the government," Strain said. "The Department of Agriculture and Forestry will continue to work closely with the Governor, our congressional delegation, and FEMA in order to expedite some sort of assistance for hard-hit producers, grain elevators and processors."
Strain said producers were anticipating record crops prior to the storm.
"Yields were looking good as our farmers invested time, money, and energy into preparing for the harvest," Strain said. "Then Gustav hit and they'll be hard-pressed to finish the crop."
Strain observed flooded crop fields from the air and then toured the fields at ground level with Senator Mike Walsworth of West Monroe, Representatives Sa! m Little of Bastrop, and Charles "Bubba" Chaney of Rayville.
"Right now there are a lot of questions," Strain said. "We're working hard at getting the answers."
Strain will continue to tour the state and visit with farmers, producers and other agribusiness concerns this week and is scheduled to appear at the Highway 15 Community Center in Ferriday and at Goldman Equipment in Lake Providence on Tuesday.
Strain is tentatively scheduled to visit Evangeline and Pointe Coupee parishes on Wednesday, but that trip may be delayed by concerns about Hurricane Ike.
