Topeka ? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has requested federal assistance to help Kansas recover from damaging ice storms that hit much of the state, including Douglas County, earlier this month.

In a letter to President Bush, Sebelius has asked for a presidential disaster declaration for 32 counties.

In addition to Douglas County, the counties are Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Clark, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Elk, Franklin, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Jefferson, Kingman, Lyon, Marion, Morris, Osage, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Woodson and Wyandotte.

The total eligible damages in these 32 counties has reached nearly $39 million. Preliminary Damage Assessment teams continue to verify damages in other counties named in the governor’s state declaration and some of the remaining counties may be added to the presidential request if they are deemed eligible.