Michigan delegation urges Trump to approve disaster aid for ice storm recovery

WASHINGTON — Michigan’s entire congressional delegation is urging President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster to help the state recover and rebuild from March's "unprecedented" ice storms nearly six weeks after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer requested the designation.

The bipartisan letter, led by GOP Rep. Jack Bergman of Watersmeet, said federal help is “desperately” needed to continue recovery efforts from the storm, which caused extended power outages for tens of thousands and left miles of roads impassable in northern Michigan. The delegation of 15 lawmakers said the 13 affected counties and one federally recognized tribe “can afford to wait no longer.”

"Although substantial progress has been made in restoring power, heating homes, clearing roadways, and removing debris, the recovery process remains far from complete nearly three months later. State and local resources have been expended, and federal support is desperately needed to continue recovery efforts," the lawmakers wrote.

"As such, we urge you ― in the strongest terms possible ― to approve Governor Whitmer's May 16 request for a Major Disaster Declaration without further delay. The Michigan delegation stands unified in this appeal, and we are prepared to work with you and your administration to see it through."

It's unclear what has held up the disaster declaration for the ice storms, and neither the White House nor the Federal Emergency Management Agency responded Wednesday to questions.

Trump has been critical of FEMA and has said he wants to transfer responsibility for disaster response to the states. He convened a FEMA Review Council to make recommendations for improvements.

But in recent weeks, the president OK'd disaster relief for more than eight states, such as Missouri and Tennessee, including aid for communities affected by natural disasters that had been waiting on it for months, according to a tally by The Associated Press.

The storm in Michigan began on March 28 with a crippling ice storm followed by days of high wind that resulted in extensive damage to homes, businesses and electrical infrastructure. Widespread power outages were reported and roads were impassable due to downed trees and other debris.

On March 31, Whitmer declared a state of emergency for 10 counties, then added two more a day later.

She deployed the Michigan National Guard to provide personnel and specialized equipment to help with recovery efforts and declared an energy emergency in the Upper Peninsula to help expedite the delivery of fuel and other critical supplies to the areas.

On April 11, Whitmer requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration that would expedite funding to the state to assist in debris removal. In a letter to Trump, she said electric utility cooperatives estimated their response costs related to the storm would exceed $65 million, while the state's costs are expected to be more than $7 million.

In Michigan, a joint preliminary damage assessment was conducted with local, state, and federal officials through May 6 to assess and validate the most severely affected areas, and state officials determined the damage met the threshold to request federal assistance, according to Whitmer's office.

Whitmer requested both individual assistance from FEMA, which is direct help for homeowners and renters, as well as public assistance that reimburses local governments, certain nonprofit entities and tribal agencies for response costs, debris removal and repair of damaged infrastructure.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Small Business Administration granted an administrative disaster declaration for Cheboygan County as well as Charlevoix, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Otsego and Presque Isle counties, which will provide financial assistance to repair or replace property damaged by the ice storms.

The SBA disaster assistance program makes available low-interest loans for residents, businesses and nonprofits affected by the storm.

Bergman and the Michigan USDA Farm Service Agency have also said assistance through the Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program is also on the way for northern Michigan.

In April, the Michigan House voted to approve a $100 million appropriation to aid northern Michigan residents and communities in their recovery from the ice storms.

The $100 million appropriation for the Michigan State Police would be distributed to local governmental units and used to assist "individual residents, businesses, and communities that have realized a significant financial hardship caused by recent storm damage," according to a bill analysis by the nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency.

The funding could be used as a 25% match to draw down more than $200 million in federal hazard mitigation grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency if a federal disaster is declared in Michigan.

FEMA's hazard mitigation money typically is used, according to the federal agency, to support "sustained measures enacted to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards and their effects."

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(Staff writers Beth LeBlanc and Max Reinhardt contributed.)

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