Mass. asks federal government for disaster aid for February blizzard

In a step to help the state and municipalities cover costs, Massachusetts appealed to the federal government to issue a "major disaster declaration" in connection with February's two-day blizzard.

The request seeks access to federal aid programs for Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk and Plymouth counties, all regions where the Healey administration says storm-related expenses exceeded the thresholds for help through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program.

Gov. Maura Healey's office said Barnstable, Bristol, Norfolk and Plymouth counties may also qualify for added snow assistance "after meeting or nearing record historical one-day snowfall totals maintained by the National Climatic Data Center."

Snow totals varied during the Feb. 22-23 blizzard, but reached about three feet in some areas. It was virtually impossible to travel and high winds caused power outages that peaked at 290,000 households.

Citing "devastating impacts this record-breaking blizzard" brought, Healey said in a statement: "First responders and local crews worked around the clock to dig out residents, keep roads open, and protect public safety. Those efforts were extraordinary but came at a significant cost to communities."

Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll called it "one of those once-in-a-generation storms," comparable to the Blizzard of 1978 and 2015’s "Snowmagedon." But state officials in unveiling their request did not specify how much money the state and its municipalities spent to cover storm response expenses.

The president may declare a major disaster under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for natural events that cause damage that exceeds the capabilities of state and local governments to respond.

The Healey administration indicated Thursday that results of a MEMA survey of damage reports from private homes and businesses "indicated that Massachusetts would not meet federal criteria for direct aid to residents and businesses through the Individual Assistance program."