ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The administration of President Joe Biden announced Thursday that full federal funding will be made available to help Alaskans recover from the powerful storm that devastated western Alaska at the mid-September.
According to a White House press release, the president’s major disaster declaration issued last Friday paid for 75% of the total eligible costs associated with the storm, with funds made available for “public assistance, mitigation risks and other assistance needs”.
Thursday’s announcement increased the level of federal funds to 100% of “total eligible costs for the first 30 days of the incident period.”
Governor Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster declaration on September 20, then announced on September 23 that state assistance would be available after visiting several communities hardest hit by the storm.
The historic weather event formed from the remnants of Typhoon Merbok and ravaged the state’s west coast from September 15-18, crossing the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea before impacting the coast .
The Alaska congressional delegation, which had asked the president to provide funding for post-storm recovery, all weighed in on a joint statement.
His. Lisa Murkowski:
“I thank the President for listening to us and for approving our request for 100% waiver of state cost-sharing for federal assistance associated with the Western East disaster recovery efforts. Alaska. Today’s announcement is the result of hard work by the Alaskan delegation to make the case to the administration, as well as our colleagues – working to educate them about the needs of the west. of Alaska – and it paid off The storm damage from Typhoon Merbok is severe and the recovery needs are great I saw destruction in every affected community I visited – damage to infrastructure such as roads in Elim, houses floating off their foundations in Golovin, extensive flood damage, subsistence camps literally wiped out, taking away boats, nets and four-wheelers. nt to the resumption of the regions, and with the freeze in just a few weeks, the approval of this derogation could not have come soon enough.
His. Dan Sullivan:
“I am pleased to see that the federal government has honored our request to waive the state’s share for the relief of Western Alaskans, just as it was done recently for Puerto Rico. I worked on this issue non-stop, speaking directly several times over the past few days with the Secretary of Homeland Security and senior White House officials, and I had an amendment to the Standing Resolution (CR) ready. to be used in the event those discussions with the Biden administration are unsuccessful. The delegation also wrote a letter to the FEMA administrator and I spoke about it in the Senate. I want to thank the federal officials who listened and ensured a quick waiver of cost sharing. Thank you also to all Alaskans who have come together and remained resilient and resilient throughout this disaster. Help is on the way. Now is the time to start asking for help that can meet everything from emergency shelter to food and other needs. The delegation will continue to focus on the important reconstruction process.
representing Marie Peltola:
“I want to thank President Biden for listening to the concerns of the Alaskan delegation and approving a 100% federal cost share for our state. This additional federal funding will ease a tremendous burden on Alaskans who are working so hard to rebuild after the devastation wrought by Typhoon Merbok. These next few weeks are essential to make the necessary repairs before the winter months and I am grateful that President Biden has answered our call for help.
Governor Mike Dunleavy:
“We know the next few weeks will be critical for communities impacted by the storm. From the beginning, we have done everything to support the recovery in Western Alaska, including asking for additional support from the federal government. Rural Alaska is tough, but this storm damaged critical infrastructure and personal property—a cost too high to handle alone, so we’ve asked for additional federal assistance. Thank you to the Biden administration for waiving 100% of the state’s cost share for additional disaster relief. The Alaska congressional delegation and I know that the waiver will go a long way toward repairing the damage done to these communities. Let’s get our Alaskan families back on their feet.
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