Press Release  Governor Healey Appeals FEMA’s Denial of Major Disaster Declaration for February Blizzard

BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey is urging the Trump Administration to reverse its denial of Massachusetts’ request for a Major Disaster Declaration and provide federal assistance to communities recovering from one of the worst winter storms the state has seen in decades.

“This February, Massachusetts experienced one of the worst winter storms we've seen in decades,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Our first responders, public works crews and local communities worked around the clock to keep people safe, and FEMA validated that Massachusetts exceeded the threshold for federal disaster assistance. Our communities did everything that was asked of them. They shouldn't be left to shoulder these extraordinary costs alone, and the President of the United States shouldn’t play politics with disaster relief.”

The February 22-23, 2026, blizzard brought whiteout conditions, snowfall rates of up to four inches per hour and hurricane-force wind gusts that overwhelmed local resources, knocked out power to nearly 300,000 customers and forced communities to spend far beyond their annual snow removal budgets. To help communities recover, Governor Healey requested a Major Disaster Declaration that would provide federal Public Assistance to state agencies and local governments in Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk and Plymouth counties for eligible storm-related costs. The request also sought Snow Assistance for Barnstable, Bristol, Norfolk and Plymouth counties, which experienced record-breaking snowfall. On July 2, FEMA denied the request.

Following the storm, FEMA confirmed that Massachusetts far exceeded the threshold to qualify for federal disaster assistance after determining the state had incurred approximately $45 million in eligible disaster costs. Despite that, FEMA denied the state's request.

“Massachusetts communities and state agencies are well-equipped to manage winter storms, and this blizzard was met with a strong, coordinated response that kept residents safe and communities running,” said MEMA Director Dawn Brantley. “What made this storm extraordinary wasn't our ability to respond - it was the unprecedented cost of doing so. Federal disaster assistance is intended for exactly these situations, helping offset extraordinary response costs so communities aren't forced to shoulder the financial burden of a historic event on their own.”

The February blizzard, which dropped nearly three feet of snow on top of existing accumulation from a January storm, left extensive damage across eastern Massachusetts and required an unprecedented statewide response. Governor Healey declared a State of Emergency, activated the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) and the Massachusetts National Guard, and requested out-of-state assets from Connecticut, New York and Vermont to support state and local snow removal efforts. Governor Healey also secured $100 million in Fair Share funding to help cities and towns recover from extraordinary winter storm costs while continuing to pursue the federal disaster assistance Massachusetts qualified for.

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