AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Gov. Janet Mills on Thursday formally requested that President Joe Biden declare a major disaster declaration for the state following a severe April nor'easter.
According to a release from Mills' office, the declaration would help Cumberland and York counties recover from significant infrastructure damage caused by the storm.
In a letter to the president, Mills said costs from the two-day storm are expected to exceed $3.5 million. The costs include debris removal, road and bridge damage, and emergency protective measures, Mills' office said.
If approved, the major disaster declaration would offer Maine access to emergency grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help affected communities recover.
"With the increased frequency and intensity of storm events in Maine over the last 24 months, emergency management officials across all levels of government remain stretched in their fiscal and programmatic capacity to respond to and recover from disasters," Mills wrote in her letter to Biden. "While my administration has pledged $60 million to helping Maine communities recover and build back stronger from recent disaster events, supplemental grants through FEMA would specifically enable communities across Cumberland County and York County to support the comprehensive recovery needs associated with the severe early April storm."
Mills' request specifically asks for funding through the Public Assistance Program and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, according to the release.
"Last month, Governor Mills signed into law her proposal as part of the supplemental budget to make available $60 million to help Maine communities recover from recent severe storms and increase their resiliency to future severe storms," the release stated.
If the declaration becomes approved, Mills has reportedly already directed her administration to plan on immediately distributing the funds as soon as possible, her office said.