Nashville Standard

United States Senator Bill Hagerty, along with the Tennessee Congressional Delegation, has urged President Joe Biden to approve Governor Bill Lee’s request for a major disaster declaration. This request follows severe flash flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Helene. The letter sent to President Biden was co-signed by Senator Marsha Blackburn and Representatives Diana Harshbarger, Tim Burchett, Chuck Fleischmann, Scott DesJarlais, Andy Ogles, John Rose, Mark Green, David Kustoff, and Steve Cohen.

The letter states: "We write to urge swift approval of Governor Bill Lee’s request for a major disaster declaration pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act due to severe weather occurring on September 26 and 27, 2024."

The delegation highlighted the extensive damage in East Tennessee due to the hurricane's remnants. They noted that between six to ten inches of rain fell in the region over two days. The resulting flash floods have devastated communities, leading to infrastructure collapse such as I-40 and destruction of homes. The Unicoi County Hospital was severely affected by floodwaters, forcing patients and staff to seek refuge on the roof until rescue teams arrived. Additionally, there were over 75,500 power outages reported across the state.

Governor Lee is requesting an Emergency Declaration covering Categories A and B with Direct Federal Assistance. The delegation emphasized: "On behalf of the State of Tennessee, we urge you to approve this request as soon as possible."

The officials expressed their readiness to provide any additional information needed by President Biden's office.