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President Obama Approves Disaster Declaration For Florida

Roads closed in the aftermath of Hurricane Hermine in Cedar Key. (Briana Erickson/WUFT News)
Roads closed in the aftermath of Hurricane Hermine in Cedar Key. (Briana Erickson/WUFT News)

The president has signed Florida Disaster Declaration to provide federal aid to the areas affected by Hurricane Hermine, the White House reported.

Federal funding will be available for residents and business owners in the counties of Citrus, Dixie, Hernando, Hillsborough, Leon, Levy, Pasco, and Pinellas. They can apply for “grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses” and other forms of financial aid, according to the press release.

Local governments in the number of counties are also eligible for federal funding. “Federal funding also is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Hermine in the counties of Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Pasco, Pinellas, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla,” the White House reported.

Florida Governor Rick Scott mentioned that despite the fact that local authorities provided assistance to Florida communities after the hurricane, the impact of the disaster was severe and federal aid will help local residents and businesses to recover. “Hurricane Hermine was the first hurricane to hit our state in over a decade and following the storm, I met with many businesses and families who were severely impacted.  While the state immediately stepped in to provide resources and assistance to families, this funding will help our local communities rebuild,” he said.

Residents and businessmen from the counties mentioned above can apply for federal assistance starting tomorrow by registering at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY).