ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan today announced that he has requested a presidential disaster declaration for the State of Maryland as a result of tornadoes and severe flash flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Depression Ida. The governor designated the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) as the state coordinating agency for the request.
Read Governor Hogan’s request to President Biden.
“As our communities continue to recover from the devastation caused by Ida, we have been coordinating closely with local officials to assess the damage and provide whatever support we can,” said Governor Hogan. “We are requesting a presidential disaster declaration to make more resources available, and help those affected recover as quickly as possible.”
Maryland is specifically requesting a major disaster declaration for Individual Assistance for Anne Arundel and Cecil counties. Individual Assistance could include grant funds to be used towards rental assistance, home repair, and replacement of personal belongings destroyed by the disaster. The governor also requested that the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program be made available to all 24 jurisdictions of the state.
State agencies began coordinating public safety actions and recovery operations well in advance of Ida’s arrival and its potential impact to the state. Following the storm, Maryland conducted a joint preliminary damage assessment with FEMA and local jurisdictions. That assessment found that at least 142 homes and businesses were affected and damaged during the storm.
If President Biden approves the request, federal assistance could potentially be made available through the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.