Mass. Congressional Delegation Requests FEMA Assistance with Snowstorm Assessment and Recovery
Lawmakers’ Letter Comes After Commonwealth Hit with Multiple Storms in Recent Weeks
Washington, DC –The Massachusetts congressional delegation, including United States Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey, and Representatives Richard Neal, James McGovern, Michael Capuano, Stephen F. Lynch, Niki Tsongas, William Keating, Joseph P. Kennedy III, Katherine Clark and Seth Moulton, today sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Brock Long to request assistance with the state’s assessment and recovery processes following the damage caused by a series of recent snowstorms in the Commonwealth.
Since March 2nd, Massachusetts has been impacted by numerous significant snow storms that have caused coastal flooding, seawall damage, and beach erosion. In their letter, the lawmakers noted that hundreds of residents have reported significant storm damage to their homes and properties, while over 200,000 Massachusetts residents have experienced power outages. The lawmakers also pointed out that road and air travel in the state has been disrupted, with over a thousand flights being canceled as a result of the most recent blizzard.
The lawmakers’ letter requested that FEMA support the efforts of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) in handling the Preliminary Damage Assessment process to determine the extent of infrastructure damage and the disaster responses and recovery costs necessary for responding to the aftermath of the storms. “Federal assistance will likely be needed to help the Commonwealth repair public facilities and infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the snowfall, as well as to recoup the costs of snow removal and road treatment,” the lawmakers wrote.
MEMA is currently documenting county snowfall totals, collecting storm costs, conducting site visits in areas, and preparing a written request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration.
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