DETROIT, MI – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) today welcomed $5,476,035 in federal funding for the City of Midland to help address the significant damages and community needs resulting from severe storms and flooding that detrimentally affected the region in May 2020. This funding was awarded by the Office of Community Planning and Development within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), through the agency’s Declared Disaster Recovery Fund (DDRF) grant program. Last year, Peters and Stabenow joined FEMA in surveying the damage caused by the historic flooding and dam failure in Midland County.

“The destruction caused by the dam failures and resulting flooding was unimaginable and devastating for families and communities in the Midland area. While progress has been made over the past year, there’s still much more to be done to recover from the aftermath of this disaster,” said Senator Peters, Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “Michiganders are resilient, and this funding will help families and businesses in Midland County continue rebuilding and emerge stronger than before.” 

“People in Midland have endured so much over this past year,” said Senator Stabenow. “After the dam failure and flooding last year, I met with families and community leaders about what needed to be done to help them recover and move forward. This grant will make a big difference on the community’s path to recovery and help hardworking businesses, families, and leaders rebuild their neighborhoods.”  

“When communities are struck by disaster, it’s not enough to build back – they need resources to improve resilience to future storms,” said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “These federal funds awarded by HUD will enable important investments in Midland’s ongoing recovery efforts, helping the city address critical unmet needs and invest in a disaster-resistant future. HUD will continue to be a committed partner in this process and will work with Midland to help forge a more resilient and prosperous future.”

Last year, Peters and Stabenow fought for and helped secure additional funding to mediate the damages including over $25 million in funding for the Michigan Department of Transportation to support road reconstruction and repair after the flooding. 

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