President Trump approved $32.1 million dollars in federal disaster relief for Michigan after severe weather ravaged the state this spring.
Heavy rain and snowmelt caused historic flooding in central and northern Michigan that washed out roads and caused several dams to fail.
Storms and deadly tornados hit parts of western Michigan in April, killing four people and damaging infrastructure.
Whitmer's request to allow individuals and businesses to apply for FEMA funding was granted for 27 counties. Public assistance for non-profits and local government is available in 26 counties.
In a statement, Governor Gretchen Whitmer encouraged those with damages to apply with FEMA and the Small Business Administration.
"This funding will help families begin their recovery and provide critical resources to affected communities," she said.
Presque Isle County Emergency Manager, Tim Pritchard said residents call his office weekly, asking if they will get federal aid.
“There are people that are going to be tearing their homes down," Pritchard said. "There's going to be people that might have just a few thousand dollars of damage in a crawl space and then people that had full that have already spent $50 thousand.”
U.S. Congressman Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) posted on Facebook thanking Trump for the relief.
State Representative Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan) also thanked the president in a written statement to WCMU, saying that the storms have had devastating effects in northern Michigan.
“This critical funding will provide much-needed assistance to local governments as we repair damaged infrastructure, restore essential services, and support residents working to rebuild their homes and lives,” Cavitt said.
