Snyder: Gogebic County doesn't meet $13.9 million threshold

LANSING — Gov. Rick Snyder said Friday Gogebic County did not meet the required $13.9 million statewide damages threshold in the July 11-12 storm to be eligible for a federal disaster declaration.

Snyder said he continues to explore options to help Gogebic County communities recover and rebuild after the storms and flash flooding.

He said funding from the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program could soon be on its way to help repair roads in Gogebic County damaged by the severe storms.

The affected areas include wash-outs on portions of Lake Road at Little Girl’s Point along Lake Superior, as well as dozens of culverts within the county.

“I saw first-hand the devastation that this 1,000-year storm event brought to portions of Gogebic County,” Snyder said. “The Michigan National Guard did exceptional work in helping to re-establish emergency access for residents, but this federal support is critical for long-term permanent fixes to the road devastation in this remote area of the state before winter arrives.”

Access to Little Girl’s Point from Wisconsin 122 is still shut off, but the Snyder letter makes no mention of that fact.

Preliminary estimates of the damages sustained to the federal aid highways will be forwarded within a few days, when assembled, Snyder said.

The Michigan Department of Transportation sent a request to begin the formal application process on July 28, along with a copy of Gov. Snyder’s July 15 disaster declaration.

The Michigan DOT is requesting relief funds to assist in repairing damages on federal aid highways and for the tornado that struck near Wakefield.

Snyder said the Gogebic County Road Commission, MDOT and the State Emergency Operations Center have been working diligently to compile disaster assessments, coming up with an exact amount of funding needed for full repairs. Those assessments will then be sent to the federal government.