WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde is urging Gov. Brian Kemp to request a federal disaster declaration for Northeast Georgia counties heavily impacted by Winter Storm Fern, saying the damage from the storm has overwhelmed the ability of local governments to recover on their own.
In a letter sent Wednesday, Clyde asked Kemp to submit a request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a presidential major disaster declaration before a March 12 deadline.
Clyde represents Georgia’s 9th Congressional District, which covers much of Northeast Georgia. In the days following the storm, he visited White, Habersham and Rabun counties to assess the damage and meet with local officials and emergency responders.
Kemp: disaster request already in progress
A spokesman for Kemp told Now Georgia the state was already preparing the disaster request before Clyde’s letter arrived.
“At Gov. Kemp’s direction, GEMA has been working on a major disaster declaration application, predating the congressman’s letter which arrived just this afternoon,” the spokesman said. “We expect that application to be submitted to FEMA tomorrow.
“We look forward to Congressman Clyde advocating for the application’s approval on behalf of the people of the impacted counties in his district.”
Storm caused widespread damage
Winter Storm Fern struck Northeast Georgia as a multi-day weather event that brought freezing rain, snow, high winds and prolonged icy conditions across the region.
Ice accumulations exceeded half an inch in several communities, toppling trees and downing power lines. Hundreds of thousands of Georgians lost electricity during the storm, many for extended periods.
While the storm affected parts of the state, Clyde said the damage was concentrated in Northeast Georgia.
“The storm’s destructive ice and wind toppled trees and downed power lines across Northeast Georgia,” Clyde wrote, adding that the region’s communities faced severe and localized impacts from the storm.
Local governments facing financial strain
During his visits to the region, Clyde met with county officials, utility crews, Georgia National Guard members and American Red Cross personnel involved in recovery efforts.
He said local leaders told him the cost of debris removal, infrastructure repair and emergency response is stretching county budgets beyond their limits.
“The damage caused by Winter Storm Fern is simply beyond the capacity of these counties’ budgets to address alone,” Clyde wrote in the letter.
Disaster declaration process
Under the federal Stafford Act, a governor must first request a disaster declaration before FEMA and the president can consider approving federal assistance.
Clyde said damage assessments suggest several Northeast Georgia counties may already meet FEMA’s county-level damage thresholds, though statewide totals may fall short because the storm’s effects were concentrated in a limited region.
However, FEMA guidelines allow for disaster declarations when severe impacts are concentrated in a smaller geographic area.
Clyde said that appears to be the case for Northeast Georgia following Winter Storm Fern, and pledged to advocate for federal assistance if the governor submits the request.
