AUGUSTA, Maine — Editor's note: The attached video was originally published on Dec. 20, 2023.
Gov. Janet Mills requested Tuesday that President Joe Biden issue a Major Disaster Declaration to help 10 Maine counties recover from the catastrophic Dec. 18 storm, which caused flooding, power outages, and severe damage in parts of central and western Maine.
Mills sent a letter to the president on Tuesday, summarizing the impact of the extreme weather event. She estimated there was a total of $20 million in public infrastructure damage, beyond the state's ability to address, a press release from Mills' office said.
If Biden approves the governor's request, Maine could gain access to federal funds to repair damaged roads, bridges, public buildings, utilities, and other public infrastructure in Androscoggin, Franklin, Hancock, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, and Washington counties, the release stated.
Mills also asked Biden to authorize individual assistance to eligible families who experienced property damage in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset counties.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conducted a preliminary damage assessment earlier this month per the request of Gov. Mills and found that the high level of damage in those five counties met the federal government’s threshold for individual assistance, according to the release.
Of the properties FEMA assessed, the organization reported that 13 were "destroyed," 106 underwent "major damage," 65 had "minor damage," and 31 were "affected" in some way. Only six percent of the properties that suffered damage were covered by flood insurance at the time of the storm, the release stated.
In her letter to Biden, Mills said the lack of alternative housing options and skilled contractors, the cost of replacing major appliances, the need for mold remediation, and additional challenges made the circumstances beyond the state's ability to fix without federal assistance. She asked that "every available area within the Individual Assistance program support the impacted individuals and families across Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset counties."
The release Tuesday further explored Mills' request:
"The requests submitted by the Governor are specifically for Public Assistance (PA) Program, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and the Individual Assistance Program (IA). FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides supplemental grants to State, local, and Tribal governments so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies. The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding to State, local, and Tribal and governments so they can develop hazard mitigation plans and rebuild in a way that reduces, or mitigates, future disaster losses in their communities. The Individual Assistance Program provides financial assistance and direct services to eligible individuals and households affected by a disaster, who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs.
"The Governor’s request does not cover last week’s significant storms which brought historic flooding to the Maine coast. MEMA continues working with local partners to estimate the cost of damage caused by the storms. Once that process is complete, MEMA will request that FEMA dispatch Federal officials to Maine as soon as possible to begin the process of conducting the Federal Preliminary Damage Assessment, in which FEMA reviews and validates damage assessments gathered by local officials. If the damage from these storms meets the financial statutory threshold exceeding the State’s ability to respond, Governor Mills will seek another Federal Disaster Declaration – in addition to the one she requested today. Additionally, the State is exploring the possibility of requesting Fishery Disaster Assistance from the Federal government to aid in the recovery of Maine’s commercial fishing industry."
It was only last week that Mills declared a State of Civil Emergency for Cumberland, Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Washington, and York counties after record-high flooding hit the state's coastline.
The governor is asking Mainers impacted by last week's flooding to report it to the state by dialing 211 or by visiting the Mills Administration’s Flood Resources and Assistance Hub here.