Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency are visiting Maine this week to determine the extent of the damage from last month’s storm.
The FEMA teams will be in Maine through Friday to meet with local officials, such as town managers and fire chiefs, and assess the damage to both public infrastructure and individual property, according to federal and state officials.
The state said the teams are scheduled to visit 10 counties over the course of the week, as well as the Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy communities of Pleasant Point and Indian Township.
“The teams will conduct a thorough assessment of the impacted areas to determine the extent of the disaster, its impact on public facilities as well as individuals, and the categories of Public and Individual Assistance that may qualify for federal disaster assistance,” a FEMA spokesperson said in an email.
“The information gathered from [an assessment] is included in a request for federal assistance in order to demonstrate that the disaster was of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and of the affected local governments, and that supplemental federal assistance is necessary,” the agency added.
If FEMA concludes that the storm’s costs reach a certain threshold, Gov. Janet Mills can request a formal disaster declaration from President Joe Biden.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
