President Joe Biden officially granted Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills’ request for an emergency declaration Thursday in preparation for Hurricane Lee’s likely landfall in the state.
“Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of Maine and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Lee from September 15 to September 17, 2023,” an official White House declaration published Thursday reads.
I thank @POTUS for his swift approval of my request for an Emergency Disaster Declaration, which will give us access to additional resources as we work to keep Maine people safe during this storm.
— Governor Janet Mills (@GovJanetMills) September 15, 2023
This will allow for both the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide federal assistance to the state, with FEMA operating at 75 percent federal funding.
Mill’s office regarded Lee’s landfall as “an imminent threat to public safety as well as damage to public and private property,” according to local outlet News Center Maine.
Hurricane Lee is expected to make partial landfall along the coast of Maine early Saturday evening and run its course with tropical winds and heavy rains, similar to those often caused by the nor’easter storms more typical to the state. There is also expected to be permanent coastal erosion and flooding caused by the “sustained high winds, pounding surf, and heavy rains,” according to Mills‘ statement. Locals have also been warned about the potential of major power outages as the state works through the storm.
Hurricane Lee is expected to leave Maine by Sunday. (RELATED: Hurricane Lee Starts To Make Landfall)