President Joe Biden has approved Maine’s request for federal assistance to help cover more than $6.5 million in infrastructure damage in Franklin County from a major rainstorm earlier this summer.
The storm on June 29 caused severe flash flooding that washed out roads and bridges in the rural county, damaged the sewer system and left about 30 residents stranded for more than 72 hours.
The major disaster declaration will make the county eligible for federal grants for repairs and to develop mitigation plans to reduce the chance of future damage.
The state also requested a federal disaster declaration for a storm from just a few days earlier in Oxford County, which caused more than $2.6 million in damage. That declaration is still pending.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.