Governor Baker Requests Federal Assistance for Historic Storms
Seeks Aid for Impacted Local Communities, State Agencies and Private Non-Profits
麻州州長查理貝克（Charlie Baker)，副州長白莉朵（Karyn Polito）昨（廿七）日聯名要求美國總統奧巴馬（Barack Obama)宣佈麻州遭遇大災難，以期麻州符合聯邦撥款補助資格。
查理貝克政府的申請書，要求聯邦政府撥款三億五千萬元，協助麻州政府及地方政府支付將近九呎大雪的鏟雪費用，以及五千萬元的其他暴風雪開支。
查理貝克政府指出，從今年一月廿六日起，麻州在一連廿八天內，遭遇前所未有的風雪肆虐，不但天氣苦寒，降雪量也打破紀錄。
一旦奧巴馬做該宣佈，麻州的十個郡就有資格向聯邦緊急管理局（FEMA）申請公共援助。這十個郡包括巴斯坦堡（Barnstable），布里斯托（Bristol），杜克（Dukes），益士石（Essex），米斗塞（Middlesex），南特基（Nantucket），諾福克（Norfolk），普利茅斯（Plymouth），薩福克（Suffolk），以及屋斯特
（Worcester）等。
麻州也根據國家氣候數據中心（NCDC）所定義的降雪量打破紀錄或將近打破紀錄相鄰縣標準，為九個郡申請鏟雪援助。
查理貝克表示，他們在風雪過後，經國會議員及地方官員協助，評估損失，就鏟雪花費等做了徹底數據分析，才擬出公共援助申請書。希望奧巴馬及聯邦緊急管理局會仔細考慮麻州的申請案。
美國總統奧巴馬一旦同意做此宣佈，麻州內的250個市鎮，州政府機構，非牟利組織等，將可獲得聯邦災難援助款。凡是符合條件的鏟雪或維修道路，橋樑，碼頭，海牆等費用，以及在那一段時間中，急救人員的加班費等，都可獲得聯邦政府給付75%的補償。
BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito today submitted a request to President Barack Obama for a Major Disaster Declaration based on the impacts of an unprecedented 28-day weather event, starting January 26th, that brought record snowfall and bitter temperatures to the Commonwealth. This Declaration would make federal aid available in the form of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Program to ten Massachusetts counties whose PA costs exceed the federal thresholds. They are Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties.
Additionally, Snow Assistance is also being requested for nine counties that have either met record or near-record snowfall totals, as defined by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) or have met FEMA’s ‘contiguous county’ criteria. These counties are Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties.
“After sustaining an unprecedented 28-day weather pattern of record snowfall amounts and frigid temperatures, our administration has conducted a thorough data analysis to assess damages and snow removal costs, with the support of the congressional delegation and local officials, to craft this important request,” said Governor Baker. “We urge the President and FEMA to carefully consider this declaration to provide much-needed relief to our cities, towns and state agencies.”
“Our cities and towns are in need of support after a brutal winter marked by record-breaking snow and cold,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Our administration is pleased to have worked with local officials to carefully review costs for snow removal and repairs for publicly owned infrastructure while completing this declaration.”
The Governor’s request cites almost $350 million in costs to state agencies and cities and towns for plowing and removing almost 9 feet of snow in just four weeks, and almost $50 million in other storm costs.
This request asks the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to take a broader, more comprehensive view of the impacts of this extraordinary sustained weather event, rather than considering a single storm. While FEMA ordinarily considers snow removal costs eligible as emergency protective measures for only a 48-hour period, the Governor’s request, because of the unprecedented and historic nature of this prolonged weather pattern and its impacts, asks for assistance for the entire four-week incident period and details the crippling effect the weather pattern had on health care and transportation systems.
The Declaration, if issued, would provide federal disaster assistance to approximately 250 cities and towns, state agencies and private non-profit organizations. The federal government would provide 75% reimbursement for eligible snow removal costs, and costs to repair damage to public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, piers, seawalls and storm-related overtime costs for first responders during this time.
