Governor Baker Appeals for Broader Scope of FEMA Disaster Declaration

Governor Baker Appeals for Broader Scope of FEMA Disaster Declaration Appeal seeks to extend designated 48-hour disaster period to 72-hours BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker today filed a formal appeal with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to widen the scope of the Major Disaster Declaration issued by President Obama on April 13th from 48 hours to 72 hours of snow assistance for eligible state agencies, municipalities, and private non-profit organizations. “The historic impacts of this winter’s record snowfall and freezing temperatures over the course of 28 days burdened state agencies, municipalities, non-profits and transit systems with continuing financial burdens and presented serious challenges to their ability to conduct cleanup, response and recovery efforts and to carry out their daily activities,” said Governor Baker. “While the disaster declaration issued in April was limited to the first storm, the Vice President and federal officials have pledged that FEMA will be flexible in its eligibility and assistance determinations.  Consistent with these discussions, today we are asking FEMA to increase the period of time for eligible snow removal costs to seventy-two hours in order to increase the amount of much needed disaster assistance to the Commonwealth.” The disaster declaration, issued in April, allowed eligible entities to submit for 75% reimbursement of snow removal costs within any 48-hour window throughout the course of this unprecedented winter period and approximately 250 cities and towns, state agencies and private non-profit organizations across nine counties are eligible to receive this disaster assistance.  The Governor’s appeal cites FEMA’s authority to extend the period of snow assistance up to 72-hours under the type of extraordinary circumstances the Commonwealth experienced during a four week period of record-setting snowfall.  Governor Baker filed the original request for a major disaster declaration on March 27th, requesting Public Assistance (PA) for ten counties and snow assistance for nine counties, citing nearly $400 million in costs for snow removal, emergency protective measures, and repairs to damaged public facilities over a 28-day period between January 26 and February 22. Click here to view the request for repeal.