Deadline Approaches for Community Applicants Requesting Mass. Snow Emergency Assistance

The deadline to obtain federal assistance made available to reimburse state and local governments, and some private non-profit organizations for costs associated with clean-up of January’s record snowfall is fast approaching for Massachusetts counties.

Counties made eligible for federal snow emergency assistance following the Jan. 22-23 record snow are being urged to return their documentation packets to the Disaster Recovery Department of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), 400 Worchester Road, Framingham, Mass. 01702, MEMA officials said.

“We are urging those who have not yet returned their documentation packages to us, to do so promptly, so we in turn can get them to FEMA officials for review,” said Cristine McCombs, state coordinating officer for MEMA.

President Bush’s Feb. 18 declaration designated all Massachusetts counties eligible for federal funding, officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said.

FEMA will provide reimbursement to state agencies, local governments, and eligible private non-profit organizations for 75 percent of the total eligible costs for materials (such as salt and sand) and equipment used, contracts, and personnel overtime related to emergency services in dealing with the snow during a 72-hour period.

“FEMA wants to be sure that applicants receive all the assistance available to them under the law, but we can’t provide assistance if those packages aren’t returned by their identified deadlines,” said James Russo, federal coordinating officer for the event.

The following counties and their individual deadlines for making application are listed below.

All state agencies – May 3, 2005

Barnstable – May 1, 2005
Berkshire – April 30, 2005
Bristol – April 30, 2005
Essex – April 29, 2005
Dukes – May 3, 2005
Franklin – April 26, 2005
Hampden – May 2, 2005
Hampshire – April 26, 2005
Middlesex – April 29, 2005
Nantucket – May 3, 2005
Norfolk – April 29, 2005
Plymouth – April 29, 2005
Suffolk – May 1, 2005
Worcester – April 25, 2005.