This story was originally produced by the New Hampshire Bulletin, an independent local newsroom that allows NHPR and other outlets to republish its reporting.
President Joe Biden has approved Gov. Chris Sununu’s request for a major disaster declaration in Coos and Grafton counties following severe storms and flooding in July, the governor announced Tuesday.
The remnants of what had been Hurricane Beryl, combined with “a slow-moving frontal system that stalled out for several days,” resulted in “considerable damage to state and local infrastructure” from July 10 to 13, Sununu wrote to Biden in early August.
It “left many residents trapped in their homes,” he wrote, “and in some cases, prevented access by emergency personnel.”
A preliminary damage assessment conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency found the statewide response efforts cost over $5.2 million, his office said in a press release.
“Communities in many areas of the state continue to face extraordinary weather events resulting in significant damage,” Sununu said in the release. “This disaster declaration provides the opportunity for communities in Coos and Grafton counties to recuperate costs incurred while fixing damages.”
This declaration allows communities in these counties to “move forward with seeking federal funding assistance,” the release said. Local, county, and state agencies, as well as “nonprofits that provide critical services,” are eligible for assistance, it said.
It also makes available funds from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, through which FEMA can fund up to 75 percent of eligible costs of approved projects, according to the governor’s office. In addition, it opens up the Public Assistance Program, which provides state and local governments with grants for disaster recovery.
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