NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Friday, May 16 that she had formally submitted a major disaster declaration to help Northern Michigan recover and rebuild from devastating ice storms that struck the region in late March.
With ice accumulation of more than an inch in some places, the storms caused widespread and prolonged power outages, damaged properties, and closed roads and schools for days. A total of 12 counties were included in a state of emergency following the storm.
Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II both visited the region to survey the damage for themselves. A $100 million relief plan, House Bill 4328, has passed the House and now will go to the Senate for approval. Local and state officials have said, however, that federal funding will be needed to handle the full cost of damages.
“The ice storms in March hit Northern Michigan hard, and we need a major disaster declaration from the federal government to help families, small businesses and communities recover and rebuild,” said Whitmer in a statement. “After the storm, I’m proud of the way that Michiganders came together, like we always do. I’m grateful to the first responders, the lineworkers and the countless kind-hearted neighbors who went the extra mile to help those in need. Now, we need to get resources out the door and into people’s pockets as fast as possible. I already brought this up in my meeting with the president, and I hope he approves our request.”
According to Whitmer’s office, the major disaster declaration request, compiled with on-the-ground support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will allow federal aid to start flowing directly to affected families, businesses and communities if approved by President Donald Trump.
Whitmer had also previously asked for an Emergency Declaration after meeting with Trump in April, which would authorize up to $5 million in immediate public assistance to support emergency efforts, including debris management needs.
A joint Preliminary Damage Assessment with local, state and federal officials took place April 22 through May 6. Based on the findings, state officials determined the damage met the threshold to request federal assistance.
“The response and recovery from this event required tremendous cooperation and support from locals, the state, volunteer agencies and private industry,” said Capt. Kevin Sweeney, deputy state director of Emergency Management and commander of the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division, in a statement. “We will continue to support all recovery efforts to the best of our ability while working to ensure local communities have access to the financial support they need.”
Whitmer’s request will now be reviewed by FEMA, which will advise Trump on whether a disaster declaration is warranted.
— Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Whitmer submits major disaster declaration request for Northern Michigan ice storm
Reporting by Jillian Fellows, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
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