Biden announced $612 million in post-hurricane aid during his trip to Florida
President Joe Biden announced $612 million in recovery aid for areas affected by hurricanes Milton and Helene as he surveyed the aftermath of Hurricane Milton in Florida.
“This funding will not only restore power, but also make the region’s electric system stronger, more capable, and reduce the frequency and duration of outages during severe weather events become more frequent,” Biden said Sunday during a stop at St. Pete.
Biden on Friday said the damage was only from Milton maybe about 50 billion USD Based on initial reviews. According to the White House, Sunday’s funding announcement will go toward six Department of Energy projects aimed at strengthening the region’s electric grid.
The trip is part of an effort by Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running for president in the Nov. 5 election, to assure voters that they are maximizing their response to the disaster. government disaster and rebutted the statements of former President Donald Trump, a Republican. nominee, that the administration is not doing enough.
Milton is the second hurricane to hit Florida in recent weeks, bringing new devastation to a state still recovering from Hurricane Helene, which caused a swathe of damage across the southeastern United States. Harris visited North Carolina on Sunday for a stop, including a campaign rally.
The relief funds will be distributed through the Department of Energy’s Grid Innovation and Resilience Partnership Program. Projects expected to receive partial funding include $47 million to Gainesville Regional Utilities and $47 million to Switched Source in partnership with Florida Power & Light.
