Governor Ned Lamont formally submitted a request for a presidential major disaster declaration because of the damage caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida on Connecticut in early September.
State officials said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) underwent several weeks of data requirement, which is required to qualify for the declaration. The assessment includes a calculation of FEMA-eligible damage in order to determine whether the required federal thresholds have been met.
“The extraordinarily heavy rain from this storm resulted in extensive flooding across Connecticut, overwhelming federal, state, and local roads, and flooding hundreds of homes and businesses,” Lamont said. “The late-night arrival of the storm created additional challenges. First responders performed numerous rescues, with cars stranded or submerged in communities across the state as well as on interstate highways. Tragically, a state trooper was killed while patrolling a rain-swollen river area."
Based on the findings of the FEMA State Preliminary Damage Assessment, the governor requested the FEMA Individual Assistance Program for Fairfield and New London counties, as well as the state's two tribal nations - the Mashantucket Pequot National and the Mohegan Tribal Nation, according to state officials.
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If the declaration is approved, homeowners in these locations may be eligible for federal reimbursements related to the costs of uninsured damage to their homes and personal property, Lamont said.
"If approved, this federal declaration will allow many municipalities and homeowners to become eligible for much-needed assistance to recover from the damages caused by this storm," the governor said.
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Lamont has also requested the FEMA Public Assistance Program for Fairfield and Middlesex County. If approved, public assistance will make the state and every municipality in these counties eligible to receive reimbursement of 75% of the costs for uninsured damage to infrastructure as well as costs associated with their response and emergency protective measures, according to state officials.
The Public Assistance damage assessments in Litchfield, New Haven and New London counties are not yet complete. Lamont said he anticipates changing his request as soon as those assessments have been finalized if any of the counties meet the threshold necessary to qualify.
