Governor Larry Hogan Requests Presidential Disaster Declaration for Frederick, Washington Counties Following May Flooding

ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Larry Hogan has requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the State of Maryland as a result of the heavy rainfall and flooding that affected Frederick and Washington counties from May 15-19. This was the first of two major flooding events that occurred in May 2018. Officials continue to collect and validate damages from the second incident, which primarily affected Howard and Baltimore Counties and Baltimore City.

“The flooding in Frederick County and Washington County severely impacted residents, businesses, and infrastructure in the area. I have requested a disaster declaration in order to facilitate federal assistance to the counties that were affected by the storm in mid-May,” said Governor Hogan. “This was not the only recent severe storm—I have also directed MEMA to assess damages and work with the jurisdictions affected by flooding over Memorial Day weekend to seek federal assistance.”

This request comes after MEMA conducted damage assessments with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and officials from Washington and Frederick counties.

“MEMA and FEMA worked closely with our partners in the affected jurisdictions and we jointly assessed the damages and costs incurred,” said MEMA Executive Director Russ Strickland. “Our initial estimates have validated the devastating impact of the heavy rainfall, severe storms, and flooding.”

If the federal government issues a Major Disaster Declaration, it would allow for federal assistance to be made available through the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

Earlier today, Governor Hogan announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved his request for a physical disaster declaration for Frederick County following flooding that occurred in mid-May. This declaration will allow affected businesses, homeowners, and renters to apply for low-interest loans to repair damages. People who live in adjacent counties, including Carroll, Howard, Montgomery, and Washington counties are also eligible to apply.