Massachusetts to receive $120 million in FEMA funding for last winter, the largest public disaster assistance in state history

Out of 77 disasters across the country in 2015, only one event is projected to require more federal help

Charlotte Wilder  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Governor Charlie Baker announced on Wednesday that Massachusetts will receive $120 million in federal funding to help pay for last winter’s high costs.

Photo by Charlotte Wilder

Massachusetts will receive an estimated $120 million in federal funding to help cover the high costs incurred during last year’s record-breaking winter, making it the single largest public disaster assistance in the state’s history, Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday. 

The money will provide critical relief to many cities and towns hardest hit by last year’s record-breaking winter that dropped more than 100 inches of snow on the region, including Boston, Worcester and Nantucket. Of the 77 major disasters across country in the past year, only one of those events—flooding in South Carolina—is projected to receive more federal funding than Massachusetts, said Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Paul Ford. 

State officials made the announcement at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency’s bunker deep underground in Framingham. Baker said that $65 million of $120 million will be allocated to cities, towns, local housing authorities, and regional school districts. He said $24 million of that has already been paid out. 

All of the federal funds should be distributed by the end of the first quarter of 2016, Ford said.

The city of Boston is requesting $4 million in reimbursements and Worcester wants about $1 million, said MEMA’s public information officer Peter Judge. Coastal communities that got battered by winter storms, such as Marshfield and Scituate, are requesting between $3 and $5 million.

Federal assistance will help Worcester avoid laying off public workers like firefighters, policemen, and teachers to cover costs, said Worcester city manager Ed Augustus.

“Because weird stuff happens all the time and in this particular case, we got nine feet of snow in basically 30 days.”

At the podium, Baker apologized for not wearing the open shirt collar or fleece vest he sported frequently last winter. 

“A new administration got a very big dose of why we shouldn’t be surprised when we get surprised in this particular line of work,” Baker said. “Because weird stuff happens all the time and in this particular case, we got nine feet of snow in basically 30 days.”

Baker and MEMA originally applied for a federal disaster declaration during winter storm Juno in January. The state was awarded the status, and the federal government said cities and towns could decide when to apply it during any 48-hour window over the course of the winter.

During those two days that municipalities chose, the federal government will reimburse them—and some eligible non-profits, such as hospitals—for 75 percent of the costs, be it for roof repair, snow removal, equipment, or any other snow-related expenses, said Baker’s deputy communications director Billy Pitman. 

“The fact we got $120 million, I view as a testament to the work that was done by Kurt and his team and by folks on the ground, both at FEMA and in local communities, housing authorities, all the rest,” Baker said. 

When looking ahead at this winter, Baker said it wasn’t feasible to prepare for freak occurrences like 2015’s record snowfall. But he did say that his administration learned from last year, namely when it comes to making sure public transit is in better shape than it was heading into 2015. 

As the conference wrapped up, Baker looked around the room at the media and officials gathered in front of him. 

“Thanks very much for coming” he said, “and I hope I don’t see you at all this winter.”