On Wednesday, President Joe Biden approved the State of Maine’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration following the back-to-back January storms that caused severe coastal flooding. The federal assistance will help cover the cost of public infrastructure repairs and make direct assistance available to eligible families and businesses in eight counties, including York.

“The flooding caused by the January storms absolutely devastated coastal communities like Old Orchard Beach. For more than two months, property owners and businesses have been left picking up the pieces and dealing with the heartbreaking economic fallout. In some cases, people have lost the entire first floors of their homes,” said State Rep. Lori Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach in a written statement. “This declaration from President Biden will unlock federal relief funds and provide a pathway for residents to more quickly receive the help they need. I’m committed to continuing to do everything I can to help our community recover and increase our resiliency for future storms, which will likely only increase in frequency and intensity as a result of climate change.”

In the coming weeks, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in partnership with the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will establish Disaster Recovery Centers in impacted counties. These centers will offer assistance and provide information about how impacted residents can apply for assistance in person, online or by telephone. Locations will be announced as soon as possible.

York County residents can begin the relief application process by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov or calling 800-621-3362. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service.