President Obama declares emergency disaster in Massachusetts
May 4th, 2010 - 2:00 am ICT by BNO NewsWASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) – President Barack Obama declared on Monday that an emergency exists in Massachusetts, and federal aid is available for its recovery.
An ongoing water main break that began on May 1, has affected several areas of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and with the emergency disaster declaration, Federal aid is now available to supplement State and local response efforts in the area
The President’s action, with the objective to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk Counties, authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.
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