U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), and Representatives Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) and Ann Kuster (D-NH), today welcomed the U.S. Department of Transportation’s decision to approve an emergency recovery grant to help restore roadways in Grafton, Sullivan, and Cheshire Counties that were damaged by heavy rains and flooding at the end of June. The $1 million grant for rebuilding federally-supported roadways will assist the New Hampshire Department of Transportation’s efforts to repair transportation infrastructure in Lebanon, Alstead, and Westmoreland that was damaged during powerful storms on June 26.

“Severe storms last month caused substantial damage to essential transportation infrastructure in several areas across western New Hampshire. These funds are critical to helping the state repair heavily damaged roads, and we’re pleased that the Department of Transportation has acted quickly on New Hampshire’s request for assistance,” said Shaheen, Ayotte, Shea-Porter and Kuster.

Federal Emergency Relief (ER) funds are awarded to a state after the President or the Governor issues a formal emergency declaration and the state files a request for ER for the cost of damages to its eligible highways. Eligible repair work includes emergency repairs needed to restore essential traffic, minimize the extent of damage, or protect the remaining facilities as well as permanent repairs necessary to restore the highway to its pre-disaster condition.

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