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PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A powerful late-season snowstorm that caused millions of dollars in damage in Maine was a major disaster, the federal government has declared.
The disaster declaration by President Joe Biden will help clear the way for funding to help rebuild. The April nor’easter, which caused hundreds of thousands of power outages in the Northeast, brought 2 feet (0.60 meters) of snow to parts of northern New England and hit Maine and New Hampshire especially hard.
In Maine, the storm damaged roads and bridges and led to extensive need for debris removal and public infrastructure repairs. The cost of the work is expected to exceed $3.5 million, Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said on Friday.
The major disaster declaration applies to York and Cumberland counties in southern Maine, Mills said.
“This funding will help southern Maine continue to recover from the devastating April nor’easter,” Mills said. “My administration will continue our work to help Maine communities bounce back from recent storms and become more resilient to future severe weather.”
The storm brought heavy, wet snow that brought down trees and power lines. It also arrived later in the season than a typical heavy snowstorm and caught some communities off guard.