WHEREAS, a severe storm moved through central Lower Michigan between the night of Wednesday, February 15, 2006 and the early morning hours of Friday, February 17, 2006, causing significant damage to trees and electrical power lines due to high winds and ice accumulation;

WHEREAS, the areas primarily affected are the cities of Greenville and Stanton, as well as numerous townships in the county of Montcalm;

WHEREAS, the severe winds and ice accumulation downed numerous trees and electrical power lines and caused damage to water and wastewater infrastructure, public buildings, schools, and publicly owned utility systems within the affected local jurisdictions;

WHEREAS, the downed trees create a significant debris clearance and removal problem that poses a threat to the safety and well being of the public, creates potentially hazardous traffic conditions, and could cause difficulties with snow removal operations;

WHEREAS, the county of Montcalm has declared a local state of emergency and activated the disaster response and recovery aspects of their emergency operations plan to cope with the situation;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM, Governor of the State of Michigan, by virtue of the power and the authority vested in the Governor by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and Michigan law, including the Emergency Management Act, 1976 PA 390, MCL 30.401 to 30.421, order the following:

1. A State of Emergency is declared in Montcalm County.

2. The Emergency Management Division of the Department of State Police shall coordinate and maximize all state efforts that may be activated to state service to assist local governments and officials in Montcalm County and may call
upon all state departments to utilize available resources to assist in the emergency area consistent with the Michigan Emergency Management Plan.

3. The State of Emergency is terminated at such time as emergency conditions no longer exist and appropriate programs have been implemented to recover from the effects of the emergency conditions, but in no case longer than March 23, 2006.

Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the State of Michigan this 24th day of February in the year of our Lord, Two thousand and six.

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JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM
GOVERNOR

BY THE GOVERNOR:
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SECRETARY OF STATE