President Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Hawai‘i

President Donald Trump today approved a major disaster declaration for Hawaiʻi, according to an announcement today from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Federal emergency aid has been made available for the state of Hawaiʻi to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the COVID-19 pandemic beginning on Jan. 20, 2020.

Public Assistance Federal funding is available to the state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures (Category B), including direct federal assistance under Public Assistance, for all areas in the state of Hawaiʻi affected by COVID-19 at a federal cost share of 75 percent.

Robert J. Fenton has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.

US Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaiʻi commented on the declaration saying it will trigger the release of additional federal funds to help Hawaiʻi recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Combating the coronavirus pandemic will require us to marshal resources at the federal, state, and county level. Today’s approval of the federal disaster declaration will unlock crucial federal resources to assist our state and county governments as they work to contain this growing threat,” Sen. Hirono said.