Evers seeks federal disaster declaration for 3 counties

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers submitted a federal emergency declaration on Tuesday for three southeastern Wisconsin counties to deal with $10 million in damage caused along the shore of Lake Michigan by winter storms last month.

Evers asked President Donald Trump’s administration for the declaration for Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties for damage from storms that struck from Jan. 10 to Jan. 12 and produced large waves and shoreline flooding.

About $10 million worth of damage was identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Wisconsin Emergency Management. Initial reports estimated $30 million in damage to public infrastructure, but only a third of that met the qualifications for federal money.

If the request is approved, local governments could recover 75% of the costs to rebuild public infrastructure and clean up debris following the storms from the federal government. The state and local governments themselves would pay for the rest.