Will be updated.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has extended the state of emergency related to the drought that has gripped the state for most of the summer.
The original state of emergency was set to expire Oct. 1, but today's extension pushes that date out 45 days to Nov. 15.
Nixon's action today also extends a program designed to assist farmers in getting water for their crops and livestock via well-drilling and other projects.
“Despite the rain we’ve seen over the past two weeks, Missouri’s agricultural community still has a pressing need for water, especially for livestock,” Nixon said in a release. "...By extending the state of emergency for 45 additional days and allowing these projects to continue to move forward, we will ensure that Missouri producers and farmers get the access to water they need so critically.”
Nixon's office says that over 11,000 applications were submitted for help via the program in a two-week period, and over 5,800 of those since late July were approved for projects. As of today, Nixon's office says "more than 4,400 projects have been completed, are under construction, or have been scheduled for construction."
The deadline to submit applications was Aug. 6 and today's extension does not extend that deadline. The extension only applies to projects under the program that have already been approved.
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