Letter to Hon. Stephanie Pollack, Acting Administrator of Federal highway Administration - Peters, Stabenow Urge Administration to Approve Request for Emergency Highway Funding After Severe Flooding in Michigan

Letter

Dear Acting Administrator Pollack,

We are writing in support of a request from Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) for emergency funding to help recover from extreme weather events that harmed communities throughout the state in recent weeks.

On June 26, 2021, Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Wayne County, where severe flooding and power outages resulted in two deaths and had a devastating impact on the area. Then on July 8, 2021, the Governor extended the state of emergency to Huron, Ionia, and Washtenaw counties due to flooding and tornadoes that occurred.

Among the many tragic impacts from these powerful storms, they damaged federal-aid highways in the affected counties. That is why MDOT is seeking $1.7 million through the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Emergency Relief Program to help repair them.

Additionally, Michigan is requesting $50 million to support a network of pumps that would make essential roadways that are susceptible to flooding more resilient. This is necessary to prevent even more costly damage to our infrastructure in the future, and to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. MDOT's proposal would both protect people's lives and keep the economy running, even during periods of heavy rainfall.

Communities throughout Michigan have suffered as a result of these extreme weather events, and lives have been lost. We ask that you grant the State's request expediently in order to help these communities recover and to prepare for future natural disasters.

Sincerely,

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