President Trump has quickly turned around the second disaster request in Hawaii in just the last week. Hawaii Governor David Ige said, “I’m grateful for the quick approval of my request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration. This opens the door to federal assistance and demonstrates a solid partnership with the federal government as we work to keep Hawaii residents safe and support recovery efforts on Hawai‘i Island.” Today’s Presidential Disaster Declaration for Hawai‘i Island follows the Presidential Disaster Declaration for flood-damaged Kaua‘i and the City and County of Honolulu was granted on May 8.
The order will make federal funding available to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the regions affected by Kilauea’s eruption May 3.
“Federal funding is available to the State and to eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Kilauea volcanic eruption and earthquakes in Hawaii County,” the government said in a statement late Friday.
In his request for a disaster declaration, Governor Ige said federal resources are needed to meet the demands and challenges the ongoing volcanic event is creating for his state. “As more fissures open and toxic gas exposure increases, the potential of a larger scale evacuation increases. A mass evacuation of the lower Puna District would be beyond current county and state capabilities, and would quickly overwhelm our collective resources,” Ige said in a statement announcing his disaster request.
