A major disaster declaration request from Connecticut following an August storm that caused historic rainfall and extreme flooding was approved Friday by President Joe Biden.
The storm impacted parts of western Connecticut on Aug. 18, causing significant damage to homes and businesses and killing three people.
Gov. Ned Lamont submitted a disaster declaration in early September. As a result of the approval, federal funding will be made available to affected people in Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven counties, according to Lamont’s office.
“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” a statement from Lamont’s office said.
Funding for hazard mitigation measures to be implemented statewide was also included in the package, Lamont’s office said.
“The approval of this major disaster declaration means that individuals will be able to access federal funding to support their recovery efforts, particularly when it comes to the rebuilding of uninsured infrastructure,” Lamont said in a statement. “I appreciate President Biden for approving this declaration, which will be a major benefit for the people who were impacted by this storm. I also thank FEMA and the Small Business Administration for working with my administration to make this declaration possible.”
Learn more
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or by using the FEMA app, according to Lamont’s office. In-person support locations will also open in the impacted counties to help people seek help. The location and hours for those locations has yet to be announced.
