CEDAR FALLS - U.S. Sens. Charles Grassley and Tom Harkin are supporting Gov. Chet Culver's request for a presidential disaster declaration for Black Hawk County to qualify for disaster aid to help with cleanup from a July 10 windstorm that heavily damaged parts of Cedar Falls and elsewhere.

Each Iowa senator wrote President Barack Obama asking for the declaration.

"It's important for the president to take this request seriously and act on it as soon as possible," said Grassley, R-New Hartford.

The aid was essential "due to the lack of resources at the local level," after the historic flood of 2008, Harkin, D-Cumming, said. "Black Hawk County was also severely impacted by last year's historic floods in Iowa. Those floods were so burdensome to the citizens of Iowa that responding to additional disasters is difficult.

"I urge the Obama administration to work closely with state and local officials to ensure that federal assistance is immediately made available to the impacted communities," Harkin said.

A recent assessment by Iowa Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local emergency management staff found more than $5.4 million in program-eligible damages in Black Hawk County.

The majority of the money, about $2.8 million, was requested for utility distribution systems. Some Cedar Falls Utilities were without power for several days.

The declaration would not provide assistance for those who experienced damage on personal property.