Attention: This is not a current document. It is an excerpt from the Web page of the former Colorado governor, Roy Romer. It is displayed by the Colorado State Archives for its historical value.
| WHEREAS, | a severe winter storm moved through Colorado, and particularly from the
Front Range east, on Friday, October 24, 1997, and Saturday, October 25, 1997, causing
blizzard conditions across Colorado; and |
| WHEREAS, | This blizzard deposited up to 54 inches of snow, causing closure of most
highways east of the Rockies; and |
| WHEREAS, | this blizzard caused life threatening conditions through much of the
state; and |
| WHEREAS, | these conditions have resulted in significant impacts requiring the
assistance of the state; and |
| WHEREAS, | the demands placed on state and local agencies to address this emergency
are unreasonably great, and the resources available to local communities to address the
impacts are insufficient to cope with this emergency; and |
| WHEREAS, | there exists a need for disaster emergency assistance to respond to and recover from this blizzard; and |
| WHEREAS, | at 5:00 a.m. on October 25, 1997, I verbally declared a state of disaster
emergency as a result of the blizzard; and |
| WHEREAS, | the Colorado General Assembly is currently not in session; and |
| WHEREAS, | pursuant to section 24-32-2106, C.R.S., the Governor may make funds
available from the state Disaster Emergency Fund and may transfer and expend moneys
appropriated for other purposes to meet the needs of the disaster emergency, if the funds
regularly appropriated to state and local agencies are insufficient; and |
| WHEREAS, | the Governor's Disaster Emergency Council concurs with the findings and
actions set forth in this Executive Order; and |
| WHEREAS, | the conditions under which funds can be made available and used to meet
the needs of a disaster emergency have been satisfied as a result of the occurrence and
imminent threat of emergency described herein. |
NOW THEREFORE, I, Roy Romer, Governor of the State of Colorado, under the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Colorado, including section
24-32-2104, C.R.S., the Colorado Disaster Emergency Act of 1992, Do Hereby confirm my
verbal order issued on October 25, 1997, that a state of disaster emergency exists in the
State of Colorado, due to the reasons set forth above, and DO HEREBY ORDER THAT:
| 1. | The State Emergency Operations Plan continue to be activated. |
| 2. | Any and all unspent funds currently existing in the state Disaster Emergency Fund, pursuant to Executive Order D0011 97, plus any additional funds which may be in the fund, shall remain in this account to be used to address the consequences of the existing conditions. |
| 3. | All expenditures from the fund for the purposes intended will be based upon the recommendations of the Director of the Colorado Office of Emergency Management and with the approval of the Chief of Staff of the Office of the Governor or the Director of the Office of State Planning and Budgeting. |
| 4. | The fund balance shall remain in this account until June 30, 1998, when funds not expended for the purposes intended herein shall revert to the state General Fund |
| 5. | On or before July 31, 1998, a report shall be provided to the Governor, the State Disaster Emergency Council, and the General Assembly detailing the expenditures from the Disaster Emergency Fund |
| 6. | All state departments and institutions are directed to intensify their preparedness and mitigation efforts to address the impacts of this emergency and to respond to events that may occur. These efforts shall be coordinated with the Office of Emergency Management |
| 7. | I hereby confirm my verbal orders issued on October 25, 1997, that under the provisions of 28-3-104, C.R.S., the Adjutant General of Colorado order to State Active Duty sufficient forces, with pay, for a period not to exceed five (5) days to respond to this emergency; the Adjutant General shall determine the number of individuals assigned to this duty and equipment deployed. |
| 8. | This Executive Order shall expire in thirty (30) days unless otherwise extended. |
| GIVEN under my hand and the Executive Seal of the State of Colorado on
this 27th day of October, 1997. |
|
| Roy Romer | |
| Governor | |
Last modified June 18, 2003