Indiana is trying very hard to dig out from the worst winter storm in 20 years, and will need help to complete the job.

That's what Gov. Frank O'Bannon told President Bill Clinton in declaring a snow emergency for 56 counties and asking for federal assistance in removing the snow.

Kosciusko County is one of those counties.

"Through the present time, additional snowfall, freezing precipitation and sub-zero temperatures have crossed the state, creating a significant threat to the public's health, safety and well-being," O'Bannon said in requesting the aid.

According to the State Emergency Management Agency, the central and northern Indiana counties meet the federal criteria for snow removal assistance. The money would be used to offset unusually high costs for local governments' emergency efforts to protect human life - efforts described by the governor as nothing short of heroic.

"A costly event of this size, so early in the year, could affect the delivery of emergency services to these counties throughout the rest of the year," O'Bannon said. "Most of their snow removal and emergency overtime budgets went to battle the New Year's storm, with precious little left for the rest of this season and half of next snow season."

O'Bannon's request for federal assistance was echoed by Sen. Richard Lugar and Rep. Steve Buyer, who urged the president to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to make the snow removal funds available.

"This large-scale weather pattern has had a significant impact on our state this month. Additional winter storm activity continues to bring more snowfall, freezing rain and cold temperatures to Indiana," Lugar said. "I hope federal assistance will become available to help affected communities recover from this recent severe weather."

Buyer told the president that because of the record amounts of snow, communities are finding it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to clear roads and streets because there is no place to put the record amount of snow that has fallen. Federal assistance is needed to haul the snow away from the roadsides.

"The recent series of snow storms has been devastating to Indiana. While state and local governments are diligently working on keeping the roads passable, they simply do not have the resources to handle such large amounts of snow," Buyer said. "That is why I've urged President Clinton and FEMA to step in and provide federal assistance."

According to the governor, state highway crews have cleared 30,000 lane miles of roadway and have used an estimated 58,000 tons of salt.

If O'Bannon's request is approved, FEMA would pay 75 percent of the cost of snow removal and hauling. [[In-content Ad]]