The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of Delaware to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by the severe winter storm and flooding during the period of January 22-23.
The action makes federal funding available to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm and flooding in Sussex County.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
Donald L. Keldsen has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Keldsen said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
The Presidential Declaration makes federal funding available to projects involving public infrastructure damaged by the storm. Examples of eligible repair projects include the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk, portions of the Rehoboth Beach storm water outfalls, and Cape Henlopen State Park walking trails, among others.
The costs of Delaware National Guard and Delaware State Police deployments to Sussex County during the storm may also be recovered under the federal disaster declaration. In addition, the declaration included mitigation funding for the entire state.
“During the January storm, our state sustained damage to public infrastructure, beaches, homes, and businesses, particularly in the coastal areas of Sussex County,” said Gov. Jack Markell. “While preventive steps like dune restoration helped prevent more serious harm, we know this storm caused significant disruptions to our citizens beyond its immediate aftermath and I am grateful to the Obama Administration for their support in helping our communities fully recover. I also thank the members of our congressional delegation, who have been strong advocates for both disaster response funding as well as initiatives like beach and dune restoration, which are vital to limit the effects of severe weather.”
