FEMA Blizzard Aid to Massachusetts Tops $4 Million

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program has obligated more than $4.2 million to help the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with costs due to the February 8-10 blizzard.

On April 19, a major disaster declaration made federal funding available to the commonwealth, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties. FEMA has obligated $4,208,651 to aid the affected counties.

FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer James N. Russo said, “This assistance reduces the blizzard’s financial burden on local governments and agencies who worked tirelessly in the days immediately following the crippling storm.”  He added that FEMA continues working to ensure that all receive the maximum disaster assistance for which they are eligible.

Kurt Schwartz, director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, said his agency works closely with FEMA to ensure all eligible federal dollars flow to the commonwealth in a timely manner.

“MEMA will continue to work with our local communities as we move forward with the distribution of these reimbursement dollars,” Schwartz said.

FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses public agencies and certain private non-profits for 75 per cent of their eligible costs. For the snowstorm, most of the costs were for emergency response overtime work and for clearing tons of snow from public roads and other public facilities.

In addition, assistance is available to the commonwealth and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for snow assistance for a continuous 48-hour period during or proximate to the incident period in Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Worcester counties.