TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Governor Ron DeSantis is asking President Donald Trump to increase federal funding for Hurricane Michael recovery after the hurricane was upgraded to a Category 5 storm last week.
On Friday, following the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s announcement that Hurricane Michael was upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane, Gov. DeSantis sent a letter to President Trump asking that the federal cost share be increased from 75 percent to 90 percent for the remainder of Hurricane Michael recovery.
"Since my first full day in office when I visited Northwest Florida, it was clear that the efforts to rebuild and recover were far from over," said DeSantis. "An increase in the federal share will help Northwest Florida tremendously and I thank President Trump for his previous commitment to fully fund the first 45 days of recovery from this storm."
Hurricane Michael was only the fourth Category 5 storm to ever impact the United States and the first to impact Florida as a Category 5 since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
“I applaud Governor DeSantis for providing leadership and requesting 90 percent federal funding on the same day that Hurricane Michael was upgraded to a Category 5," said FDEM Director Jared Moskowitz. "This increase in federal funding will provide critical savings to Panhandle communities during their recovery.”
The President has the authority to issue a waiver and increase the federal cost share for hurricane recovery from the standard 75 percent to 90 percent prior to costs reaching the 90 percent threshold.
