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In a step to help the state and municipalities cover costs, Massachusetts appealed to the federal government to issue a “major disaster declaration” in connection with February’s two-day blizzard.
The request seeks access to federal aid programs for Bristol County, as well as Norfolk and Plymouth counties and the Cape and Islands — all regions where the Healey administration says storm-related expenses exceeded the thresholds for help through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program.
Gov. Maura Healey’s office said Bristol, Norfolk, and Plymouth counties and Cape Cod may also qualify for added snow assistance “after meeting or nearing record historical one-day snowfall totals maintained by the National Climatic Data Center.”
The Feb. 22-23 blizzard was the largest in New Bedford’s history, with 37 inches of snow, beating out the record set during the Blizzard of ’78 by a whopping 11 inches. Healey issued a travel ban in Bristol County for parts of the two days. It was virtually impossible to travel in much of Massachusetts, and high winds caused power outages that peaked at 290,000 households.
Citing “devastating impacts this record-breaking blizzard” brought, Healey said in a statement: “First responders and local crews worked around the clock to dig out residents, keep roads open, and protect public safety. Those efforts were extraordinary but came at a significant cost to communities.”
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll called it “one of those once-in-a-generation storms,” comparable to the Blizzard of 1978 and 2015’s “Snowmaggedon.” But state officials in unveiling their request did not specify how much money the state and its municipalities spent to cover storm response expenses.
The president may declare a major disaster under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for natural events that cause damage that exceeds the capabilities of state and local governments to respond.
The Healey administration indicated Thursday that results of a Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency survey of damage reports from private homes and businesses “indicated that Massachusetts would not meet federal criteria for direct aid to residents and businesses through the Individual Assistance program.”
In New Bedford, schools were closed all week after the storm, and it took days for the city to clear all of its 300 miles of streets.
Fall River received permission from Healey to dump snow directly into the Taunton River. New Bedford chose a more environmentally friendly option: it stockpiled about 70,000 cubic yards of snow at the former Aerovox facility and about 15,000 cubic yards at former Cannon Street Power Station and let nature take its course.
On Wednesday, when a Light reporter visited the Aerovox site, the dirty, now-blackened snowpile was still there and still melting.
The Light contributed reporting.
Good luck with this, it will go to bottom of the pile. Why would anyone in Washington ever entertain a request from Maura Healey when she never cooperates, builds walls, and bashes every agency in the Federal Government. Our state is in dire need of new leadership in the State House.
The Governor must be super nice to the king for FEMA ( a onetime fed agency now apparently run for the benefit of Corey Lewandowski recreation habits and Noem’s very interesting husband) to respond to a historic storm but there’s definitley no Kings.
And Healey is worst Governor in the history of this state, how about no queens, so tit for tat it’s not bringing money back to this state anytime soon.
Aid should be based on political support?
MA has the leadership we voted for.
36% of MA voted voted Trump.
Even if the Fed’s send any relief money to the state, Do you really thing the city is going to see any of that money ???????????????????
What a joke,” Fall River received permission from Healy to dump snow directly into the Taunton river.” Where do you think it ends up after it melts? This was her biggest accomplishment from the devastating Blizzard? You hit the nail on the head Jeff she fights the feds every step of the way and now wants help. The only chance we might see some federal $ is because of the Red wave that is emerging on the Southcoast as was evident in last presidential election.