Gov. Chris Christie sent President Barack Obama a letter Tuesday seeking a Major Disaster Declaration for 11 counties stemming from damage sustained during a Halloween weekend northeaster.
In the letter, Christie requests the declaration for Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties.
“The storm resulted in historic October snow accumulations throughout northern and western New Jersey,” Christie wrote. “Temperatures throughout the region were in the middle to lower 30s for most of this event, resulting in heavy, wet snow that quickly accumulated on trees and power lines.”
The storm brought gale-force winds to the region — including gusts of 51 miles per hour in Cape May County.
State officials requested help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Nov. 3 to conduct a joint preliminary damage assessment for those affected areas. The counties sustained a variety of damage — including power outages, downed wires, and fallen trees and tree limbs.
“State, county and local governments were confronted with extraordinary fiscal challenges related to the level of emergency response and debris clearance necessitated by this storm, which is why we quickly acted to start the process of requesting federal disaster assistance,” Christie said in a release announcing the federal request.
Contact Caitlin Dineen:
609-272-7247
