LANSING, MI (WOWO) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has once again denied Michigan’s request for additional disaster assistance following a historic March ice storm that devastated much of northern Michigan.
In a letter sent to Governor Gretchen Whitmer and released Friday, FEMA reaffirmed its earlier finding that damage from the storm did not meet the threshold necessary to trigger Individual Assistance — the federal program that helps residents repair or replace damaged homes.
Governor Whitmer had appealed FEMA’s initial decision in August, asking the agency to reconsider its denial and to also fund utility repair work.
FEMA official David Richardson wrote in the response letter that the agency’s review found “the impact to individuals and households from this event was not of such severity and magnitude to warrant designation” for individual or utility assistance.
The March 28–30 storm coated large sections of the northern Lower Peninsula and parts of the Upper Peninsula in thick ice, knocking down millions of trees and leaving thousands without power — some for weeks.
One utility, Presque Isle Electric & Gas, reported an estimated $150 million in infrastructure damage and warned that repair costs could be passed along to customers.
Captain Kevin Sweeney, Deputy State Director of Emergency Management, called FEMA’s decision “disappointing,” but said the state remains committed to supporting local recovery.
While federal aid for home and utility repairs was denied, FEMA is still reviewing Michigan’s separate request for funding under its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which could support long-term projects to reduce future storm risks.
State lawmakers have already included $14 million for ice storm recovery in the latest state budget, while a separate $100 million relief proposal remains stalled in the Senate.
President Donald Trump previously approved $50 million in limited federal assistance for public infrastructure repairs, but that aid did not include individual homeowners.
For many residents still rebuilding, the latest FEMA denial means the financial burden of recovery will remain close to home.
