WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski
and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola
(D-Alaska) sent a letter
yesterday to President Joe Biden urging him to expeditiously
approve Alaska Governor Michael Dunleavy’s (R-Alaska) request for a Major
Disaster declaration to support Western Alaska’s recovery from the impact of
Typhoon Merbok on Alaskan families, homes, businesses, schools, and
infrastructure.
“This was the strongest storm in seventy years to impact our
state,” the Alaska
congressional delegation wrote. “The
damage to Western Alaska is extensive and federal assistance is essential to
help Alaskans recover in the wake of this destructive event and mitigate
against future severe weather events.
“On September 16 to 18, 2022,
remnants of Typhoon Merbok produced widespread destruction and severe damage to
Western Alaska. Approximately one thousand miles of coastline were impacted.
Residents are experiencing widespread flooding; power, water, and communication
disruption; severe damage to private homes, personal property, and businesses…
“Because very cold weather and freeze-up in many parts of our
state are a few weeks away, it is crucial that Alaska has the resources
necessary to provide heating fuel for winter and to quickly continue the
process of rebuilding.”
The full letter can be found here and
below:
Dear Mr. President:
We write to urge your immediate consideration of Governor
Michael Dunleavy’s request for a
Major Disaster declaration
under Section 401 of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to support Alaska’s recovery from the
impact of Typhoon Merbok on Alaskan families, homes, businesses, schools, and infrastructure. This was the
strongest storm in seventy years to impact our state. The damage to Western
Alaska is extensive and federal assistance
is essential to help Alaskans recover in the wake of this destructive
event and mitigate against future severe weather events.
On
September 16 to 18, 2022, remnants of Typhoon Merbok produced widespread
destruction and severe damage to Western Alaska. Approximately one thousand
miles of coastline were impacted. Residents are experiencing widespread
flooding; power, water, and communication disruption; severe damage to private
homes, personal property, and businesses.
Alaskans
are resilient. Nowhere was this more evident than in the actions of our state
and local emergency management teams, as well as the first responder and public
works personnel in the hours leading up to the storm’s landfall and now
following the storm. Our State emergency response team members are working day
and night to ensure that our communities are safe and that utilities, services,
and major infrastructure are operational as soon as possible. Alaska’s public
servants are instrumental in mitigating the immediate impact of the storm in
Western Alaska. However, much more needs to be done. Governor Dunleavy
indicated in his request that the damage was of such severity and scale that
additional federal assistance is necessary to supplement the actions of our
State agencies. Because very cold weather and freeze-up in many parts of our
state are a few weeks away, it is crucial that Alaska has the resources
necessary to provide heating fuel for winter and to quickly continue the
process of rebuilding.
Typhoon
Merbok affected more than infrastructure: it is affecting Alaska’s people –
especially those in rural communities that, for example, did not have broadband
access or easy access to supplies pre-storm, or for that matter any roads to
their communities. Some Alaskans have lost their homes while others have lost
vehicles essential to survival in rural communities and other personal
property.
We are
appreciative for the prompt attention your Administration and the Region 10
FEMA team have provided to the state during and immediately following the
storm. We write with urgency to seek your quick approval of Governor Dunleavy’s
request given the scope of the damage, fast approaching winter weather, and
overall impact on Alaskans. Thank you for your attention to this emergency
matter.
Sincerely,