Title: President Biden Approves Federal Disaster Assistance for Massachusetts Following Severe September Storms
Keolis employees were seen measuring MBTA tracks near Route 13 by Hamilton St. in Leominster, where the ground had been washed away by heavy rains on September 12, 2023, as captured in a staff photo by Chris Christo for the Boston Herald.
In Leominster, a significant development occurred as President Joe Biden intervened to reverse a decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which had initially denied a major disaster declaration for the severe storms that caused widespread flooding in the city and other parts of Massachusetts in September. Despite this federal action, it seems to fall short of the comprehensive assistance Governor Maura Healey had been advocating for.
The White House disclosed that President Biden acknowledged the existence of a major disaster in Massachusetts and has ordered federal aid to enhance the state, tribal, and local recovery operations in the areas hit by the severe storms and flooding from September 11 to September 13, 2023. This decision enables federal aid for individuals in Worcester and Bristol counties, although assistance for Hampden County, which the state had also sought, was not mentioned. FEMA has yet to provide further details.
Governor Maura Healey expressed her gratitude for the federal disaster assistance, highlighting its importance in supporting residents facing significant repair expenses due to the September flooding. She acknowledged the ongoing impact of the storms on communities and thanked President Biden and FEMA for recognizing the severity of the weather event’s effects on various cities and towns in Massachusetts.
A representative from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) clarified that the state had requested “public assistance” for Hampden and Worcester counties and “individual assistance” for Worcester and Bristol counties. The recent announcement from the White House pertains only to “individual assistance,” leaving the state’s request for “public assistance” still under review, a point Governor Healey also emphasized.
In her appeal to FEMA in March, Governor Healey argued that the recovery needs greatly exceed what the state could provide, especially for residents who lost their homes due to the flooding. She recounted visiting North Attleborough (Bristol County), where she consoled a woman whose home was condemned after being inundated with six feet of water overnight.
Governor Healey’s appeal in March stressed that the rainfall between September 11-13, 2023, caused extraordinary damage, particularly in Worcester and Hampden Counties, justifying federal assistance. FEMA has now made it possible for residents in Bristol and Worcester counties to apply for assistance through their website, by phone, or via the FEMA app. The assistance available includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, loans for uninsured property losses, and opportunities for cost-sharing in statewide hazard mitigation efforts.