Politics & Government
Governor Requests Presidential Major Disaster Declaration
If approved, the declaration would assist state and local governments with the cost of damage and clean-up after tropical storm Isaias.
Press release from the office of Governor Lamont:
Oct. 2, 2020
Following several weeks of data collection across Connecticut and verification by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has submitted a request for a presidential major disaster declaration resulting from the damage caused by Tropical Storm Isaias in early August.
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The governor’s request is for public assistance in all eight counties in Connecticut, as well as implementation of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. If approved, the public assistance will make the state and every municipality, including the two tribal nations, eligible to receive federal reimbursement of 75 percent of the costs for damage to infrastructure. The approval of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program will help state agencies, local governments, and tribal nations take actions that can reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural disasters.
To qualify for the declaration, FEMA requires state and local governments to complete a detailed assessment, including a calculation of FEMA-eligible damages, in order to determine whether the required federal thresholds have been met – a process that typically takes several weeks to complete. In his request, Governor Lamont says that the state has determined that it experienced roughly $21 million in damages to public infrastructure from the tropical storm.
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“Tropical Storm Isaias came through Connecticut fast and created an impact that is taking weeks to repair,” Governor Lamont said. “If approved, this federal declaration will allow many municipalities in our state to become eligible for much-needed cost reimbursements as they continue to fix damaged infrastructure from the storm.”
The damaging winds and rain from Tropical Storm Isaias resulted in over 750,000 power outages in Connecticut, some lasting for up to a week, as well as hundreds of blocked roads, and damage to infrastructure, including hundreds of broken poles and damaged transformers. At least two reported fatalities and five serious injuries in the state are attributed to the storm.
This press release was produced by the office of Governor Lamont. The views expressed here are the author's own.
