Rep. Jack Bergman

MARQUETTE — Some of Michigan’s elected officials are pushing for the small Small Business Administration to approve Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s disaster declaration due to ice storms which caused power outages to 10,000 Upper Peninsula residents in March.

Michigan’s Democratic Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin are being joined by MI-01’s Republican Congressman Jack Bergman to encourage the Trump administration to approve the declaration, which would help to provide federal assistance to area businesses, homeowners, renters and other organizations that were impacted by the March storm, which caused damage, power outages and dangerous driving conditions throughout the Eastern U.P. and the northern tip of the lower peninsula.

Peters, Slotkin and Bergman penned a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler.

“The economic fallout from the storm has been staggering,” the letter reads. “In Emmet County, the second-most populous county in Northern Michigan, a local business survey conducted in the storm’s aftermath found that 97 percent of businesses experienced disruption, with 86 percent forced to suspend operations, and 71 percent reporting employees unable to report to work. More than half of these businesses reported infrastructure damage, inventory loss, or supply chain disruptions. Small businesses throughout the region, many of which are already operating on thin margins, are now struggling to recover.” 

Both Michigan and federal officials estimate that more than $137 million in damages were sustained by businesses, homes and other infrastructure while predicting that summer tourism will be impacted by the continuing cleanup from the storms.

“The hardworking people and businesses of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are strong and resilient. Yet, local capacity is limited, and recovery of this magnitude requires a coordinated effort at all levels of government,” the letter reads. “As such, we respectfully request that SBA swiftly approve Governor Whitmer’s request for an administrative declaration of disaster. This declaration would make available critical federal support and resources to struggling business owners as they continue working to stabilize operations, preserve jobs, and rebuild.” 

The SBA Rapid Administrative Disaster Declaration would allow eligible businesses, homeowners, renters, and private nonprofits in the disaster area, specifically Cheboygan, Mackinac, Emmet, Charlevoix, Otsego, Montmorency, and Presque Isle Counties, as well as the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians, to apply for SBA disaster loans to aid in recovery. 

Randy Crouch can be reached at 906-228-2500. His email address is rcrouch@miningjournal.net