Gov. Brian Kemp asked Congress on Tuesday for nearly $12.2 billion in relief to address the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
The storm devastated much of Georgia in late September, and 96 of the state’s 159 counties remain under a major disaster declaration.
In a letter to appropriations leaders in the U.S. House and Senate, Kemp provided preliminary damage estimates that he stressed are likely to grow. The request includes nearly $6.5 billion to help farmers and agricultural producers, $2.5 billion for housing recovery, $611 million for lost timber and $507 million for crisis counseling services.
“Hurricane Helene wrought unparalleled damage across our state, leaving thousands of families displaced, businesses shuttered and our farmers facing catastrophic losses,” Kemp wrote in his letter to Congress.
The governor’s letter provides the most detailed accounting yet of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. According to Kemp, 34 Georgians died — including six children — making Helene the deadliest hurricane to hit the state since 1893.
The storm also damaged 212,747 Georgia homes and devastated agricultural and forestry businesses. Kemp and legislative leaders recently directed $100 million in state funding to provide immediate relief for farmers and timber producers. But in his letter, Kemp said that’s not nearly enough.
“Georgia’s agricultural sector, a cornerstone of our economy and cultural identity, was hit particularly hard,” the governor wrote. “Specialty crops, livestock operations, and small farms have suffered widespread devastation, many without sufficient insurance coverage to recover independently.”
Kemp’s request includes everything from nursing support ($502 million) to clean drinking water ($150 million) to emergency hospital support (up to $50 million).
Federal aid could be a long time coming. After 2018′s Hurricane Michael, aid to some farmers didn’t arrive until 2020.
This week President Joe Biden asked Congress to provide nearly $100 billion in relief for hurricanes Helene and Milton.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is set to testify Wednesday before the Senate Appropriations Committee about the urgency of approving agricultural disaster assistance.
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