TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW)_ Lt. Gov. Troy Findley signed a State of Disaster Emergency declaration for 48 counties affected by record-setting snowfall in the final weeks of 2009. The declaration he signed on behalf of Gov. Mark Parkinson covered storm damaged caused sinceon or after De. 22.

"We want to ensure the counties have the resources and financial assistance necessary to recover from this storm," said Findley. "We are in the process of determining whether damages were significant enough to qualify counties for reimbursement."

The slow-moving storm first moved into western Kansas on Dec. 22 leaving heavy snow and icy roads in its wake. Holiday traffic was slowed to a crawl as the storm set records in northeast Kansas for Christmas Day snowfall and monthly snowfall for December.

Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management said clean up efforts are still on going.

The lieutenant governor signed the declaration at the request of Bunting. The declaration is necessary for the state to request financial reimbursement from the federal government for the disaster if the storm qualifies under federal guidelines.

Named in the declaration, which Findley signed Dec. 31 are Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clay, Coffey, Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Elk, Franklin, Geary, Gove, Greenwood, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Labette, Leavenworth, Linn, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, Miami, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Norton, Osage, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Rawlins, Riley, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wilson, Woodson and Wyandotte Counties.