Biden authorizes increased federal support in Alabama tornado recovery

Several days after severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes tore through Alabama on Jan. 12, President Biden granted a “major disaster declaration” for the state. This triggered the release of federal funds for recovery, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency stepped in.

Now, about a month later, even more support will be available.

FEMA announced on Friday that Biden authorized an increase in federal funds available for debris removal and emergency protective measures. The federal cost share has been increased to 100% of the total eligible costs for a 30-day period of the state’s choosing within the first 120 days of the incident period, which would end on May 12.

This means that the state will not have to pay for eligible disaster recovery costs during that 30-day period. Instead, the federal government will cover it.

Selma was one of the cities most directly impacted by the Jan. 12 storms, and the community is still in the process of returning to everyday life. Mayor James Perkins said the increase in available funds for recovery will help.

“I want to thank President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Congresswoman Terri Sewell, Coach Tommy Tuberville, Senator Katie Britt and Governor Kay Ivey for working together with the City of Selma, Dallas County and the entire tornado destruction area to provide the 100% reimbursement declaration,” Perkins said in a statement “This is truly a blessing for Selma. Thank you, and I thank God for ‘favor’.”

These funds will cover public assistance like debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures and restoring public infrastructure. Still, individual assistance for home repairs and help paying for alternate housing while displaced from damaged homes is available by application through DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App.

Residents in Autauga, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Greene, Hale, Mobile, Morgan, Sumter and Tallapoosa counties may be eligible for individual assistance.

Public assistance is available in those counties as well and also in Barbour, Chambers and Conecuh counties.

Congresswoman Terri Sewell, who is from Selma, represents a large portion of the Black Belt and many of the areas affected by the storms in mid-January. On Jan. 25, she and other Alabama representatives in the U.S. Congress wrote a letter to Biden requesting the increase in federal cost share that he granted on Friday.

“I am beyond thankful to President Biden for this great news! From the beginning, President Biden has worked swiftly to respond to our calls by expediting the major disaster declaration for the State of Alabama,” Sewell said in a statement.  “Now, with this critical increase in FEMA Public Assistance, I am confident that we will build back stronger than before. I thank Governor Ivey and my colleagues in the Alabama Congressional Delegation for their support throughout this process. These critical resources will not only allow us to expedite the cleanup of all the properties destroyed by the storm, but our communities will also have the opportunity to build back stronger and to create a better future for the people of Alabama.”

Hadley Hitson covers the rural South for the Montgomery Advertiser and Report for America. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to the Advertiser or donate to Report for America. 

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama receives more federal support to recover from January storms