Governor Baldacci's letter to President George W. Bush to Request Federal Assistance to Repair Storm Damage
August 25, 2008
Dear Mr. President:
Under the provisions of Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.36, I request that you declare a major disaster for Androscoggin, Cumberland and York Counties in the State of Maine as a result of heavy rain, hail, damaging winds, tornadoes and flash flooding which impacted the State during the time period of July 18th through August 16th, 2008, primarily during the period from August 8 through August 16, 2008.
According to the National Weather Service, during the period from July 18th through August 16th, 2008, the weather in Maine was influenced by a low pressure system that affected all of New England. This system moved into the region and gradually strengthened during the period. The system was the cause of severe weather including heavy rain, hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. Weak winds aloft contributed to slow-moving storms caused locally very heavy rainfalls and flash flooding. The rainfall through this period saturated the ground and undermined roadways and other infrastructure. Throughout the period, and specifically during the period of August 8th through the 16th in Maine, locally heavy downpours combined with saturated ground and caused powerful flash floods. Significant damage to roadways and other public and private infrastructure was reported as roads and culverts washed away.
On August 8th, 6 inches of rain were reported in the vicinity of Freeport, Maine. Dozens of roads were closed and homes were cut off in Cumberland and York Counties. The severe damage incurred in the towns of Freeport (Cumberland County, $74.45 per capita verified damages) and Lebanon (York County, $125.71 per capita) were typical of this event. A major water main was lost, a large part of the Town of Freeport lost its water supply including water for firefighting, and the entire system was placed on a boil water order. In Lebanon, roads were flooded or destroyed and homes were isolated.
On August 16th, similar locally heavy storms, downpours and flash floods destroyed local and state road systems in the small Town of Minot (population 2,248, per capita impact $34.29) and the surrounding area. National Weather Service radar showed rain falling at the rate of 2 to 3 inches an hour. Further damage was also incurred in York and Cumberland Counties.
In response to the situation, I have taken appropriate action under State law. In anticipation of emergency conditions, I directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on Thursday July 17, 2008 in accordance with Section 401 of the Stafford Act. The State Emergency Operations Center was on alert during this entire period, and activated on Friday, August 8 to provide support to the affected areas. On August 15, 2008, I requested a joint Federal, State, and local survey of the damaged areas in York and Cumberland Counties, and then extended that request to include Androscoggin County. Preliminary assessments indicated the most severe impacts were to roads, culverts and bridges in the affected counties.
During the response phase of this event, the resources of local communities, and those of State agencies available without a State of Emergency in place, were adequate to respond to local needs. Therefore, while prepared to do so, I did not declare a State of Emergency during this period.
The Joint Federal/State/Local Preliminary Damage Assessment for public damage began August 19, 2008. Town and state agency reports of damages, verified by the PDA, equate to almost $2.9 million, $2.26 per capita statewide.
Thankfully, no injuries or deaths were reported during this period in Maine. However, many private roads and driveways were flooded or damaged, isolating families and preventing emergency vehicles from accessing their homes. Officials in the affected counties provided individual support to isolated families and monitored their emergency needs closely; no shelters were opened. A number of homes also received some damage; we are currently working with our volunteer and service agency community, searching for avenues of assistance for those individuals with unmet needs.
State and local budgets, already adversely affected by a nationwide recession and skyrocketing fuel costs, have been exhausted by the convergent effects of five major disasters since May of 2006. A record snow year of 2007-2008, for which no federal assistance was received, further crippled local budgets across the state.
I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and the affected local governments and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary. I am specifically requesting Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation and Small Business Administration disaster (as applicable under the Public Assistance Program) at this time. I intend to implement the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program statewide. The State has a FEMA-approved Standard State Mitigation Plan in place.
Preliminary estimates of the types and amount of assistance needed under the Stafford Act are tabulated in Enclosure B. Estimated requirements for assistance from certain Federal agencies under other statutory authorities are tabulated in Enclosure C.
Damage assessments are ongoing in other areas of the state. If the need warrants, I intend to request additional assistance.
State, local and private resources that have been or will be used to alleviate the conditions of this disaster include: repairs to the Federal Aid Highway System and state highways, temporary repair assistance to local governments and damage assessment by the Maine Department of Transportation; alerting, warning, and traffic control by the Department of Public Safety, Department of Transportation and county and local public safety agencies; public health activities by the Department of Health and Human Services; environmental cleanup by the Department of Environmental Protection; emergency assistance to private citizens by local responders and volunteer agencies; emergency coordination and damage assessment by the Maine Emergency Management Agency and affected County Emergency Management Agencies and assistance to affected families by social service and voluntary agencies.
I certify that for this major disaster, the State and local governments will assume all applicable non-Federal share of costs required by the Stafford Act. Total State and local expenditures are expected to exceed $721,000, in accordance with the table in Enclosure D.
I have designated Robert McAleer as the State Coordinating Officer for this request. He will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in damage assessments and may provide further information or justification on my behalf.
Sincerely,
John Elias Baldacci
