Healey appeals FEMA’s denial of disaster declaration request for Sept. flooding [Video]

Gov. Maura Healey has appealed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s denial of her request for a major disaster declaration for Massachusetts as a result of severe storms in September that caused catastrophic flooding.A letter to Healey from FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell states that in December 2023, the governor specifically requested individual assistance for two counties, public assistance for two counties and hazard mitigation for the entire state.”These storms were devastating for our communities. I saw the impacts firsthand – homes and businesses were destroyed, roadways and bridges were inaccessible and some residents had to be evacuated. Six months later, they are still rebuilding. The state has done all that we can to support their recovery, but the needs far outpace our available resources,” Healey wrote in a letter to President Joe Biden and FEMA Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich.Healey said she is concerned that FEMA’s assessment of her request failed to …