Gov. DeSantis Wants Feds To Pick Up More Of The Cost For Hurricane Michael Recovery

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami) - Governor Ron DeSantis wants the federal government to increase its funding level for the remainder of Hurricane Michael.

DeSantis made the request to President Trump in a letter sent last Friday. The request came on the heels of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's announcement that Hurricane Michael had been upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane – only the fourth Category 5 storm to ever impact the United States and the first to impact Florida as a Category 5 since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

"I am officially requesting an increase in federal funding for Hurricane Michael recovery from 75 to 90 percent," DeSantis said in a statement. "An increase in the federal share will help Northwest Florida tremendously and I thank President Trump for his previous commitment to fully fund the first 45 days of recovery from this storm."

The President has the authority to issue a waiver and increase the federal cost share for hurricane recovery from the standard 75 percent to 90 percent prior to costs reaching the 90 percent threshold.

With the recent upgrade of Hurricane Michael to a Category 5, as well as the tremendous amount of debris removal performed since the storm's impact, the state estimates that this threshold will be met in the future.

This change in the federal cost share would save the state and Northwest Florida communities hundreds of millions of dollars.