Governor Hogan Requests Federal Disaster Declaration, Maryland Delegation Supports Request
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Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is requesting that President Barack Obama declare a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the State of Maryland as a result of the blizzard that affected the state beginning on January 22. An approved disaster declaration would bring federal assistance to communities in Maryland through state and local agencies and public safety partners that served them during the storm.
“We are requesting a disaster declaration in order to provide Maryland with all assistance available following the historic snowstorm we experienced last month,” said Hogan. “Throughout the storm, our administration and state agencies effectively and efficiently responded and Marylanders used common sense and stayed off the roads. Now we are taking steps to recover and ensure we are ready for any future storms.”
Maryland was severely impacted by the January winter storm with many areas seeing historic snowfall totals, high winds, and freezing temperatures. Hogan implemented a state of emergency and government agencies coordinated public safety actions and snow removal through the State Emergency Operations Center at the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
The Maryland delegation is supporting the governor’s request.
U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, together with U.S. Representatives Steny Hoyer, Elijah Cummings, Chris Van Hollen, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Donna Edwards, Andy Harris and John Delaney today in a letter to President Obama expressed their strong support for Governor Larry Hogan’s request for a federal Disaster Declaration for Maryland being impacted by severe winter weather.
“We are writing to express our shared support for Governor Larry Hogan’s request for the declaration of a major disaster for the State of Maryland as a result of a severe winter snowstorm which impacted our State beginning January 22, 2016. Given the massive impact that this storm had on the State’s resources, we respectfully request that you expeditiously approve the provision of supplementary Federal assistance,” wrote members of the delegation.
The Disaster Declaration would make federal funding available to the State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storms and snowstorms in all Maryland counties and the City of Baltimore.
As a result of the snowstorms, Maryland was in a state of emergency from January 22, 2016 to January 29, 2016 and the Maryland National Guard was called into service. The storm caused an estimated $34 million in damage across Maryland.
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