Michigan gives 17 counties disaster aid; FEMA denies relief for May tornadoes

• Gov. Gretchen Whitmer awarded over $6 million in disaster relief funds to 11 counties in southern Michigan impacted by tornadoes 
• Over $5 million was awarded to 6 counties in the Upper Peninsula due to rapid snowmelt from the state’s Disaster and Emergency Contingency Fund
• However, FEMA denied the governor’s request for additional aid to Branch, Cass, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has awarded nearly $11 million in disaster relief to counties impacted by severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in August and May and rapid snowmelt this past winter.  

Seventeen counties across lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are slated to get state assistance. That includes $1.6 million for Branch, Cass, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties in southwest Michigan, which took a hit from a round of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes on May 7. 

Whitmer’s announcement came several days after the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied her request for federal disaster relief for the four counties. 

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• Storms, tornadoes linked to 5 deaths and widespread power outages

Four confirmed tornadoes on May 7 left over 20,000 customers without power.  An EF2 storm in Kalamazoo County reached 135 mph and spanned 11 miles. The storm ripped through two mobile communities in Portage. It also left 50 people trapped inside a FedEx building where the storm caused heavy damage to the roof and exterior. 

Relief for other disasters

Whitmer awarded more than $4.2 million to seven other counties — Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, Kent, Monroe, Oakland and Wayne — that endured heavy storm damage last August. 

At least four tornadoes were confirmed in addition to heavy flooding, which caused many flight delays and cancellations at Metropolitan Airport in Wayne County. Over 250,000 DTE and 167,000 Consumers Energy customers lost power from the weather. 

In addition, Baraga, Iron, Houghton, Gogebic, Marquette and Ontonagon counties in the Upper Peninsula were awarded $5.1 million due to rapid snowmelt that impacted the tourist region. The floods “burst dams, caused culverts and embankments to fail,” the state said, leaving some roadways and bridges impassable. 

“By declaring these disasters and working with our federal partners, we are making more state resources available to impacted areas more quickly and efficiently,” said Gov. Whitmer in a press statement. “Michiganders are tough, and we will rebuild and come back stronger the best way we know how—together.” 

Disappointed by FEMA denial

Whitmer declared a state of emergency following the May storms in southwest Michigan. In June she requested that the federal government declare a major disaster in the four counties, saying the “severity and magnitude” of the incident were beyond the capabilities of the state, county and municipal government.   

But in a written response Tuesday FEMA said: “Based on our review of all of the information available, it has been determined that the damage from this event was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments, and voluntary agencies.” 

Whitmer has 30 days to appeal the denial. FEMA added that it “will coordinate with the State of Michigan to identify additional damage information to support an appeal if necessary.”

"Governor Whitmer will work with anyone to help our local communities recover from severe weather events,” said press secretary Stacey LaRouche told Bridge in an email. “That's why the evening of the storms, the governor declared a state of emergency to expedite resources to the area and activated our State Emergency Operations Center. While we are disappointed about the denial, we will continue to evaluate next steps. Michiganders are strong, and we will get through this together."

City officials in Portage, where the worst of the four May 7 tornadoes occurred were outraged by FEMA’s decision. 

“The letter that we received references that local and state sources should be sufficient, but that is far from the truth because people are truly suffering, and we truly don’t have the resources needed to get everybody back on their feet,” said Pat McGinnis, Portage city manager, in a written statement. 

Mayor Patricia Randall urged Whitmer to appeal the decision saying, “Our community has been profoundly affected by this disaster, and federal assistance is crucial for our recovery efforts.”