President Joe Biden has approved a federal emergency declaration for Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield counties after historic rainfall over the weekend.
Gov. Ned Lamont asked the president and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for assistance after Sunday's significant rainfall.
The request comes after Lamont declared a civil preparedness emergency in response to the flooding on Monday. It's the first step to seek federal assistance, according to the governor’s office.
The federal assistance will be used to supplement the state and municipalities as well as help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide support for repairing dozens of bridges, dams and other infrastructure.
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The approval authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts. The goal of the declaration is to "save lives and to protect property and public health and safety" as well as "lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe," according to a press release.
Lamont's office said several state agencies, including the CT Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Department of Emergency and Public Protection, have been on the ground since the storm hit.
“This federal emergency declaration means that additional equipment and crews could be mobilized to Connecticut to support our many state and local crews who have been on the ground working to repair damaged roads, bridges, and dams, and also clean up waterways that have been contaminated by all kinds of hazardous items from the storm. There is still much work to do to repair and reopen the roads and make sure those who live in the area remain safe, and we are committed to completing this task," Lamont said.
Robert V. Fogel of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate federal recovery operations in Connecticut.
The governor’s office said it is working with towns on accounting for all the damage and the cost associated, which could provide federal funding to support homeowners, businesses and local and state governments with financial help for repairing and rebuilding infrastructure damaged in the storm.
Any homeowners and business owners who suffered storm damage are urged to contact their town’s local emergency management office as soon as possible so that their damages can be documented as part of this effort.
