Seacoast reports $700,000 and growing in January storms damage in push for state funds

CONCORD — Damage to public infrastructure in six Seacoast communities during last month’s coastal storms and flooding events tallied over $700,000, according to initial figures presented to New Hampshire state legislators.

The damage and the costs of municipal responses in Hampton, New Castle, North Hampton, Portsmouth, Rye and Seabrook were presented to the New Hampshire Senate Finance Committee in a public hearing held Tuesday in Concord. Local officials testified in support of Senate Bill 590-FN-A, which is calling for state funding to be given to the six municipalities to help rebuild broken or weakened infrastructure.

State Sen. Debra Altschiller, a Democrat from Stratham and a sponsor of the bill, detailed the extent of the damage from the Jan. 10 and Jan. 13 storms.

“On January 10, we experienced significant roadway damage. Concrete shore barriers were thrown 50 feet off their placements, (there were) collapsed sidewalks, flooded bridges and extremely stressed wastewater systems,” Altschiller described in the public hearing. “Our first responders evacuated residents in the town of Hampton and (Hampton) Police Chief Alex Reno made the wise decision to declare an emergency, shutting down Ocean Boulevard and calling for residents to evacuate. A shelter was set up at one of our inland schools.

“But that was just the beginning," she said. "We got walloped a second time on January 13. These storms brought high tides, high winds and more historical coastal flooding, causing more damage to our communities. Weakened infrastructure was further impacted by water rising from both angles. We had it coming off the ocean and rising up behind us in the salt marshes.”

The estimates from the six communities do not include the costs of any damages to businesses or private properties, according to testimony provided at the hearing. The estimates of public damage from each municipality were up to date as of Monday, though the amount was expected to increase as officials continue surveying the impact of the back-to-back storms.

The bill calls for $1 to be appropriated to the response, a placeholder as the actual cost of each municipality’s response and damages to their individual infrastructure are assessed. The consideration of the bill comes as officials work to present costs to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for potential federal disaster funding.

Two weeks ago, New Hampshire’s two Democratic U.S. senators, Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, both toured damage sites in Hampton, North Hampton and Rye. Damage across the state from the storms must total just over $2.53 million to qualify for FEMA funding, according to Vanessa Palange, spokesperson for New Hampshire Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

"We are looking at communities outside of the Seacoast for preliminary damage assessments as well that will count toward that total," she said.

In addition, the damages incurred in the Seacoast would need to hit the Rockingham County requirement of at least $1,445,210 to qualify for federal disaster funds, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management notes.

Altschiller stated her support for the Senate Finance Committee to hold the bill until the Seacoast communities learn whether they qualify for FEMA funding.

“We would like to make sure that … if those funds come through, that we are also accounting for that which will not be covered by FEMA,” she said Tuesday.

Sen. Shaheen: Seacoast storm damage expected to qualify for FEMA funds

A large chunk of the initial damage estimates came from Hampton, which experienced significant flooding in many neighborhoods that displaced residents. State Rep. Chris Muns, a Democrat from Hampton, said the town had compiled a preliminary list of $333,478 worth of damages to the parking lot and seawall at Bicentennial Park, a culvert under Towle Farm Road, town fire department trucks and vehicles, and the walkway and steps to Plaice Cove, among others.

Muns called to mind a storm surge, high winds and flooding that occurred in Hampton in December 2022, an event that caused more damage to private property than to public infrastructure in comparison to last month’s storms.

“These are initial estimates, and I am sure that as the full extent of the damage and the needed repairs is evaluated, these estimates will increase,” he testified Tuesday. “It is important to note however, that these estimates do not include damages to local businesses and individuals. While those damages do not fall under the heading of infrastructure, and may thus not be within the scope of this bill, they are real and have been significant.”

“My hope is that we can offer affected businesses and individuals some assistance as well,” Muns continued.

Rep. Jaci Grote, a Rye Democrat, testified alongside Rye Town Administrator and former state legislator Matthew Scruton on Tuesday.

Amid the Jan. 13 storm, the town’s fire department officials responded to a home that caught fire during the intense flooding. As the fire occurred, a resident of the house experienced a cardiac event, Grote stated.

“So, if you can imagine everything happening at one time, it happened to that person,” she said. “But luckily, we were able to take care of everyone. Our fire department personnel were able to put the fire out despite the waves that were hitting the house and ripping off the siding. It was quite the day.”

“This would provide a critical infusion of much-needed resources and financial support to expedite the recovery and the repair efforts to these communities,” Scruton said. “It is an investment in our future ability to withstand these storms and other additional challenges.”

The bill will also be reviewed by the New Hampshire House of Representatives Finance Committee.

“Our municipal responses were prompt and professional. The Seacoast is an economic engine for the state, and we have had significant damage that we need assistance in repairing,” Altschiller testified. “Be assured we are actually aware that coastal resiliency is a challenge we must face as we repair, rebuild and plan for our future.”

Representatives from the state’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management and FEMA will meet with officials from Hampton and Rye to discuss damage assessments in separate meetings Tuesday, Feb. 20.

Editor's note: State Sen. Debra Altschiller is the wife of Howard Altschiller, Seacoast Media Group's executive editor.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seacoast NH: $700,000 and growing in January storms damage