This week, President Joe Biden declared a major disaster after Hurricane Idalia hit the Sunshine State.
Biden’s deceleration covers Citrus, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee and Taylor Counties.
“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the White House noted. “Federal funding is also available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency protective measures in the counties of Citrus, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee, and Taylor. For a continuous 30-day period of the State’s choosing within the first 120 days from the start of the incident period, assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, is authorized at 100 percent of the total eligible costs.Lastly, federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.”
Brett H. Howard from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will lead federal operations in the counties covered by the declaration.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and members of the Florida congressional delegation urged Biden issue a disaster declaration. U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., sent a letter to the president on the matter. U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., Kat Cammack, R-Fla., Kathy Castor, D-Fla., Neal Dunn, R-Fla., Laurel Lee, R-Fla., Michael Waltz, R-Fla., and Dan Webster, R-Fla., signed the letter.
“We write in support of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration due to Hurricane Idalia, which caused catastrophic damage as it made landfall near Keaton Beach as a major hurricane early yesterday morning. Hurricane Idalia’s devastating wind speeds, historic storm surge, and heavy rainfall severely impacted substantial portions of the state, with significant flooding, massive power outages, and widespread damage that will take a strong partnership to recover and rebuild,” the members of the Florida delegation wrote. “This major hurricane will continue to impact the state for some time, and the full extent of damage will not be known for days. However, approving this declaration request will allow Floridians to be better prepared for the recovery phase. As such, we urge you to approve the state of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration.
“Floridians are incredibly resilient, and with the cooperation from all levels of government, we will rebuild stronger than ever. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter,” they added.
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